Setting Sun
by BluEyesofJoy
Summary: Carlisle Cullen, his wife Esme & their three adopted sons, Edward, Jasper & Emmett have just moved *back* to Forks, WA. What happens when a lovely young lady enters their lives unexpectedly? Pre-Twilight/AU/Non-canon. Cullens are vampires.
1. Setting Sun Chapter 1

**Setting Sun**

Pre-Twilight – AU. Carlisle, Edward, Emmett, Esme, Jasper, Other Character

Forks, WA - Summer 2003

Edward – freshman, Emmett – sophomore, Jasper – sophomore

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction. Please remember this if you choose to review. Thank you!

SUMMARY-

Carlisle Cullen, his wife Esme and their three adopted sons, Edward, Jasper and Emmett have just moved (back) to Forks, WA. What happens when a lovely young lady enters their life unexpectedly? (Pre-Twilight. AU. Non-canon. Cullens are vampires)

CHAPTER ONE

(?POV)

She smiled at me and in that instant my life changed. But I didn't know if she felt the same way…

(CPOV)

It was late one night during my shift. Being a vampire, I preferred the night shift, since I didn't have to sleep like the humans did. The evening had been rather slow in the small town of Forks, Washington; no emergencies, just treating patients who were waiting to be released. As I sat in my office going over my patients charts to see what Dr. Bentley had noted during his shift, I faintly heard a window being open and sweet smell filled my senses. I immediately left my office and followed the scent to the blood storage room.

(DPOV)

I crouched down, hiding behind a cabinet as I smelt a super sweet scent alerting me that I was not the only one of my kind in the building. I knew hiding wouldn't do any good, but it was a childhood trait I still carried with me. It was also my experience that if you acted a bit scared (which I was) that people would go easy on you. I knew I couldn't get in a fight in the hospital with a vampire, and there were witnesses and being discovered was the #1 no-no. As I waited, I tried to differentiate the smell of the approaching vampire. It was sweet, but had a woodsy accent to it. It smelt like camping. No, more like making s'mores while camping. As I pondered, I didn't notice the door open, until I heard someone clear their throat and I looked up into a pair of gorgeous honey coloured eyes.

(CPOV)

As I walked further down the hall I noticed a few things, First, I also heard breathing and a heartbeat. Secondly, the smell was not the same as the vampires I knew. It was… fresh. It smelled clean, almost like a laundry detergent and also smelled warm. I was intrigued, but cautious. If there was a human in there with the vampire, I needed to make sure to keep up appearances. I did not want to fight the vampire, but if it was stealing blood, I needed to know. _"Better than killing humans,"_ I thought. But if it was going to continue this, we would need to work out a system to keep the supply and records correct. I paused as I reached the door, took a deep breath that I didn't need and quietly opened the door. I didn't see any one, but I heard the heartbeat coming for behind a cabinet. I walked over and looked down and saw a beautiful young lady, about 20 years old, with straight, dark blonde hair, and porcelain skin. She appeared to be deep in thought. I cleared my throat to get her attention, hoping I wouldn't startle her too much. Her eyes opened in surprise and looked up at me. They were a beautiful dark blue. I gave her a small smile and she smiled shyly back at me. I offered her my hand and helped her up. "I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen." She shook my offered hand, and smiled widely. "I'm Danielle Kelley. I've been looking for you."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER TWO

(DPOV)

I followed Carlisle, as he insisted I call him, down the hall to his office. "I still have a couple hours left on my shift. Let me make my rounds and I'll be back in an about 30 minutes so we can talk." He smiled warmly and I couldn't help but smile back. He was all I had hoped he would be. Imagine, a vampire doctor! The self-control he had was amazing. I walked around his office, looking at the décor, when a photograph on his desk caught my eye. It was him and his wife, Esme. I had heard about her as well, how they had three adopted sons. I looked around for a photograph of them but didn't find any. But I did find some beautiful sketches that looked like an original DaVinci! I gasped, just as Carlisle came back in. He looked alarmed, then realized at what I was looking. He smiled, a bit sheepishly. "Those are original, yes. A gift from Aro when I stayed with him in Volterra." "Wow" was my eloquent reply. He chuckled a bit and motioned for me to sit down. "So Danielle," he said as he sat behind his desk, "What brings you to Forks?" "Um, well, I think I should start at the beginning." He nodded and I continued, "I was born in Texas in 1984. My father was a vampire. He raped my mother and was going to kill her, but ran off before he bit her. I was born about a month after. My mother didn't survive child-birth, so my aunt and uncle raised me. I reached full maturity in 8 years or so. I started searching for others like me, others like my father and found other vampires, but I didn't like that they killed humans, especially because all of my family is human. I heard of your name a few times and started searching for you. I went all the way to Alaska and met the Denali coven, who informed me you had just recently moved here, so here I am." I took a deep breath and looked up at him cautiously.

(CPOV)

After listening to Danielle's story, my vampire mind raced with questions. I waited a moment to sort through them, deciding which were the most important to ask now and which could wait. I didn't want to overwhelm this poor girl. "You don't hunt humans, I take it. Do you survive on donated blood then?" She wrinkled her nose a little, "I eat almost exclusively human food, but I need a little blood just so I don't feel so tired. I get achy and moody if I don't have a little blood. But I've never killed a human. Although I did bite my aunt when I was a kid," she said, a faint blush colouring her cheeks. I sat up straight, alarmed, "Didn't that harm her? Change her?" She shook her head, "The bite hurt, I'm sure, but she didn't change into a vampire. I only did that when I was very young, I hardly remember it." _"She must not have venom,"_ I thought to myself. "So you heard of me and my family through nomads and the Denali coven?" She nodded. "So you want to study our ways of life?" She nodded again. "If that's okay." "Of course, Danielle, I'm sure my family would like to meet you. I would also like to learn about you, if you don't mind. I've never heard of a half-vampire, half-human before. If I may be so bold, what do you refer to yourself as?" "Well, my cousin had some names for me, but I usually say hybrid. Vampires seem to be able to accept that, as I have a heartbeat and body heat, but smell like a vampire." "Hybrid it is, then. My shift is just about over, would you like to meet my family tonight?" "Oh I don't want to be any trouble…," "It's no trouble, Danielle," I smiled at her, "Just let me call Esme so she can get the boys together to meet you."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER THREE

(DPOV)

As we drove out to the Cullen house in Carlisle's _*very*_ nice Mercedes, he filled me in on each family member. Edward whom he had saved from the Spanish influenza in 1918, Esme whom he had saved after falling off a cliff in 1921, Emmett who had been attacked by a grizzly bear in 1935 and finally Jasper who had shown up in the 1950s, just as I had, and asked to join the family. He also told me about Edward's mindreading and Jasper's ability concerning emotions. I just grinned at Carlisle, "I'm nervous to meet everyone. Don't need a special ability for that." Carlisle chuckled and nodded, "You don't have any reason to be nervous. Jasper is our newest vegetarian, but you don't smell appetizing. You have nothing to worry about." "Oh, I wasn't worried about being breakfast," I smirked as the sun began to rise, "I'm worried they won't like me. What if they think I'm trying to take all your time?" "Calm down, Danielle, we're almost there." I looked out the window as a giant modern house came into view. "That's beautiful, Carlisle. It almost looks like a Frank Lloyd Wright." He smiled, "Esme designed it and that was the inspiration. Let's go inside." I reached for the door handle.

(JPOV)

"Boys?" Esme's voice flitted over the trees. I stopped wrestling with Emmett and looked at Edward. "She's reciting Shakespeare in French." I shrugged and starting running back towards the house with Emmett besides me. Edward beat us as always. _"Show off,"_ I thought. He just grinned at me. "What's up, Esme," asked Emmett. "Carlisle is on his way home from work and he's bringing a guest with him," she looked at me, after a small growl escaped my chest, "Someone who knows about us and is not a threat. Apparently, they met the Denali coven and decided to meet our family as well," Esme said. "Now I want each of you on your best behavior, do I make myself clear, Emmett?" "Geez Esme, why do I always get singled out?" "Because you're the one who always gets in trouble, Emmett," said Edward, smirking. "Pompous ass," Emmett muttered under his breath. "I heard that, Emmett McCarty!" said Esme from the living room where she was dusting, "I want you boys cleaning until they get here." We grumbled but started cleaning. A few minutes later, we heard Carlisle's Mercedes on the driveway. We stopped cleaning and went to the door. I looked at Edward. He appeared deep in thought, "Carlisle is going over patient charts and I'm not getting anything from the passenger." "Strange. Let me try. Hmm, Carlisle is excited, protective, and tad apprehensive, but you're right, nothing on the passenger." Esme stopped and pushed us back away from the door. "Farther, no farther, just a little farther." "What? Esme, why…?" And then I heard it. A heartbeat. I took a couple more steps back. I had just fed, but I didn't want to risk anything. Edward and Emmett stood on either side of me incase they needed to intervene. "A human? Who knows about us?" I asked through clenched teeth. "Not quite human," Edward said, "They smell… like us." I took a deep breath and smelt what Edward was talking about. Odd. Very odd. Edward nodded at me. "Still nothing?" I asked. "Nothing." Carlisle stopped the car and seemed to wait on his passenger. Finally, we heard two car doors shut, then footsteps on the drive. Carlisle reached the door first, "Welcome to our home," he said and opened the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER FOUR

(DPOV)

As soon as I reached for the handle, panic overtook me. I tried to control my rapidly beating heartbeat by taking deep breaths. I trusted Carlisle to protect and I wasn't lying when I said I was more worried about them not liking me than harming me. It took me a moment to get collected in the car. Carlisle didn't say anything just let me sit for a moment. "Are you ready?" I nodded and opened the car door, as Carlisle did the same. He put his hand just above the small of my back, protecting my small size and we walked to the door. "Welcome to our home," he said and opened the door.

I was immediately greeted by his wife, Esme. Carlisle introduced us, "Danielle, this is my wife Esme. Esme, this is Danielle." She was about my height, with long, wavy caramel coloured hair. Her build was petite, but with soft curves, and her face was beautiful and loving. And she smelt like cinnamon rolls. She was wearing a lavender blouse and black pencil skirt with heels. She looked me up and down in seconds as vampires do and I could tell everything was immediately committed to memory. I was jealous for a split second. As a hybrid, my brain capacity was much greater than a human but not quite as good as a vampire. My jealousy quickly faded and she smiled brightly and reached out to hug me. I hugged her back and immediately felt like I was home. Don't get me wrong, I love my aunt and uncle and am grateful to them for raising me, but they didn't know exactly what to do with me. They're human, I'm not and I never really felt like I belonged. But Esme, Esme made me feel like I belonged. I smiled back at her, "Thank you for being so inviting. Your home is very beautiful. I love the Frank Lloyd Wright reference." She beamed at me, "Why thank you, do you study architecture as well?" "I have a degree in art history." "You do? Oh, I cannot wait to discuss art with you dear." "Neither can I." Carlisle cleared his throat behind me. "Oh of course, I'm being rude, so sorry dear. Let me introduce you to our sons, Emmett, Jasper and Edward."

I turned to look and I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped. I have met many vampires and all of them are beautiful. Carlisle looks more like a soap opera star than a doctor, but his sons put Brad Pitt to shame, let me tell you. I swallowed and looked at Emmett, offering my hand, "It's nice to meet you Emmett, I'm Danielle." He grinned and shook my hand, being very gentle with it. I was impressed. He was about a foot taller than me and looked like he belonged in the NFL. I don't think I had ever seen such big muscles before. And he had a round face with dimples, curly dark hair and those stunning gold eyes. His size made him look older, but that boyish face made him look like he was 19 or so. And he smelled like fresh apple pie. He was looking at me, grinning, showing off his dimples. I realized he had already checked me out and my slow hybrid brain wasn't quite finished yet. I looked at his chest which was right in front of me and saw his shirt was black with a blue guitar on it. "Do you play guitar Emmett?" "Psh. He wishes!" said one of his brothers. I smiled widely, "Well I'd like to hear you play sometime Emmett."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jasper elbow him. Someone's getting impatient. I turned to Jasper and offered my hand. He shook it gently. He was much taller than me, but not quite as tall as Emmett. He had curly blonde hair and was also very muscular, but was leaner; more like a swimmer or a runner build. He was wearing a dark green shirt and faded jeans with black shoes. And he had a gorgeous face and golden eyes. I couldn't place his scent though "It's very nice to meet you, Danielle," he said. Oh my God, I think that was the sexiest voice I've ever heard. There was just a trace of a Southern accent I was so familiar with and missed terribly. It reminded me of being home in Texas. Oh! That's what he smelled like – home! "Are you from Texas?" I blurted out, and then blushed faintly, realizing that was a bit of a personal question, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude…" He just grinned at me, "I sure am, darlin'," he answered, turning up the accent a bit. I felt my knees get weak. "Are you from Texas too?" I grinned up at him, "Sure am." He grinned back at me. That's when I realized he was still holding my hand. Oh God. He must've heard my heart rate increase or used his ability, because he looked down at our hands and let go of mine. "Sorry about that Miss Danielle," he smirked at me. I tried to compose myself. "It's quite alright Jasper."

Edward Cullen. I had heard quite a bit about Edward from Tanya when I was visiting the Denali coven. She said he looked as though God himself had carved him from the most perfect marble in the entire universe. I thought she was crazy. But as I looked at him, I realized what she said was an understatement. He was perfection upon perfection. He looked like a GQ model. He was about the same height as Jasper, but not as lean. His hair was bronze and straight, and very messy, but that kind of messy where it seemed to take hours and bottles of hair product to make it look that way. He was wearing a tight grey shirt with jeans and smelt very sweet, like cotton candy. As I ogled, I remembered his ability. I blushed and looked away. I saw Jasper out of the corner of my eye with a strange look on his face and when I looked up at Edward, he was smirking at me. I realized I hadn't shaken his hand. Ugh. I quickly offered my hand, "It's nice to meet you Edward." He took my hand and instead of shaking it, placed a light kiss on the top of it. I was startled, but remembered his age and smiled shyly at him. He smirked at me and I think I heard someone growl.

Esme came over to my side, placed her arm around and started walking me to the kitchen. "Are you hungry dear? Carlisle mentioned you liked human food. I thought maybe I could cook something up for you?" "Oh that'd be great Esme. Thank you." I heard the boys and Carlisle whispering but I couldn't make out what they were saying. "Hm? Oh yes, pancakes would be great."


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER FIVE

(JPOV)

_Finally, we heard two car doors shut, then footsteps on the drive. Carlisle reached the door first, "Welcome to our home," he said and opened the door._

In walked a gorgeous young lady, who looked about 20 years old. She was about Esme's height with straight golden brown hair that went past her shoulders and curled under, framing her face. Her skin was porcelain, but not quite as pale as mine. Her face was oval shaped and she had one dimple on the right side of her face. Her nose was small and her lips were full. Her eyebrows were darker than her hair and very expressive, although mostly covered by bangs. Her eyes were wide and dark and framed by the longest, blackest lashes I had ever seen. Carlisle introduced her to Esme, "Danielle, this is my wife Esme. Esme, this is Danielle." Danielle. God, I wish Esme would move so I could see Danielle better. Edward smirked next to me. "Oh of course, I'm being rude, so sorry dear. Let me introduce you to our sons, Emmett, Jasper and Edward." Finally. As she walked over, I raked my eyes up and down, committing her appearance to my memory. She was 5'7 and slender, like Esme, but much curvier. Wow! She was wearing a black tee-shirt with a cartoon cat on it and a pair of dark jeans that fit like second skin, before flaring out to cover a black combat boot. I raised an eyebrow appreciatively. She didn't mess around. I liked her already. And her scent. It wasn't appetizing but it was intoxicating. She smelled fresh, like summer. Or morning dew. "Psh. He wishes!" said Edward. I realized she was still talking to Emmett and he didn't seem as interested in her as I was. I elbowed him. Oh crap, she saw that. Edward chuckled. _"Bite me,"_ I thought.

She turned to me and offered her hand. I shook it gently. "It's very nice to meet you, Danielle," I said. She looked up at me and smiled and I was blown away. Her face was flawless, beautiful and her eyes. Oh man, her eyes were perfect. They were grey around the center, turning blue and then turning so dark, humans would think they were black but they were still blue. They looked like a thunderstorm. I could stare at them for days. "Are you from Texas?" she blurted out, and then blushed faintly, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude…" I grinned at her, "I sure am, darlin'," turning up the accent a bit. I think her heart skipped a beat. Man I wish I could get a read on her emotions. "Are you from Texas too?" I asked. "Sure am." I grinned at her again, giving her my most dazzling smile. I heard her heart rate increase and her eyes flash down then back up again. I realized I was still holding her hand. I looked down at our hands and let go of hers. "Sorry about that Miss Danielle," I said, smirking. "It's quite alright Jasper," she said.

Then she turned to look at Edward. "Oh no" I thought to myself. Of course Perfect Edward Cullen is my brother. No no no. All the girls like Edward no matter where we go. The only emotions I get from the girls are lust and adoration – they all want Edward. And now I can't read Danielle's emotions. Are they the same? Oh God I hope not. I like her, maybe love her. My sight flashed red for a second. HE JUST KISSED HER HAND! A low growl escaped my chest, before I could stop it.

Emmett and Carlisle moved in on me, as Esme ushered Danielle into the kitchen. Wait, she eats? I'll have to ask Carlisle about all this. Carlisle looked at Edward and me with disappointment written all over his face. What? I thought that had gone well. I looked over at Edward. He had a smug look on his face but nodded in agreement. "What is it Carlisle?" I whispered, trying to keep this private from Danielle. He sighed, "You know I don't like to see my children fight." "We're not fighting," Edward said. "Maybe not psychically, but you and Jasper are fighting over her, I can tell." We both hung our heads a little. "You have been brothers for over 50 years and can't let a girl come between your relationship. This is about what she wants, not what you want. She is very young and curious about our lifestyle, but she might not stay very long. However, you two will still be brothers," he looked at each of us, "Understood?" Edward and I both nodded. "Now Edward, did her thoughts show a preference towards one of you?" I grinned, while Edward looked sheepish, "I don't know Carlisle, and I can't get a read on her. Her mind is completely silent to me and Jasper can't read her emotions either." I scowled at him. Carlisle looked surprised, "Really? Nothing? Hmm, I will contact Eleazar and ask him about this. In the meantime, you two be nice to her, no fighting and take things slow. She doesn't have to choose today or tomorrow. We have all eternity." "I know that Carlisle, but does she?" I asked. He looked at me, "I'm working on finding that out."


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER SIX

(DPOV)

Esme made me the best pancakes I think I've ever eaten. She even put chocolate chips in them for me. Sugar is one of my weaknesses. I'm not sure it's because I'm a hybrid or what but I eat a lot of sugar. Carlisle came and joined us, but the boys stayed away, instead playing video games in the living room. We talked more about my history and theirs when he asked me if I had a mate. A silence quickly settled over the house. "No, Carlisle, I don't have a mate. I've met several vampires over the past few years, but I didn't agree with their… eating habits. Eleazar was the first vegetarian vampire I met, and obviously, he's mated," I grinned and continued, "Your sons are the first single, vegetarian vampires I've met." "Do you know who your father is, Danielle?" "No, and I'm not sure I want to meet him after what he did to my mother." "Oh, of course, I'm sorry I brought it up." "It's okay, Carlisle. I was hoping though that with your age and the time you spent in Volterra that you would know of others like me. Do you?" He shook his head, "You are the first hybrid I have met, and I've never heard of any others. I would like to run some tests on you, if you don't mind of course." "No, I don't mind, I have questions about myself that I'd like answered," I smiled at him.

"Thank you very much for the pancakes, Esme. They were delicious." I looked at my watch. It was almost 9AM on a Saturday morning. "Thank you for your hospitality, but I need to get back to my place." I felt the air move as the boys ran into the kitchen. "You're leaving?" asked Emmett, "I thought you wanted to hear me play guitar?" I looked at him and smiled, "I do, Emmett, just not today; I need to go back to my place and sleep." Everyone's jaw dropped. Edward spoke up first, timidly, "You sleep? Do you dream?" I nodded, "I only sleep about 4 hours a day, but from what I can tell speaking to my cousins, my sleep is just like that of a human's. And yes, I dream." "Well then Danielle, let me drive you back to your place and we can discuss meeting later to run tests." "Okay thank you Carlisle. It was very nice to meet you." I waved as I walked out the front door with Carlisle.

As we started driving, I told Carlisle just to take me to hospital, as my car was still there from earlier. We agreed to meet Monday during his shift so he could get so samples from me and start running tests. I got my car and drove back to Port Angeles, taking my time and thinking about everything that had happened. I pulled up to my little rental house where I was staying and headed to my room. I quickly changed into my pajamas, brushed my teeth and crashed on my bed. I immediately fell asleep and dreamed of him.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER SEVEN

(CPOV)

I went back home after dropping Danielle off at her car and immediately heard Edward composing a new song, probably in honour of Danielle. He looked up at me and nodded. I smiled. Esme was in the kitchen, going through the cabinets and refrigerator to see if there was anything she should get for Danielle. She looked so happy, humming a little tune to herself. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and headed to my study to call Eleazar. He answered on the first ring; he must have been expecting me to call. "I take it Danielle found you, Carlisle?" "Yes she did, such a charming young lady. Have you heard of a hybrid before?" "No, she was the first I met; I did not know they existed myself. Are you running some tests?" "I'm meeting with her on Monday to take some samples. I was wondering if she had any abilities, Eleazar." "It's funny for you to ask that. I was going to ask if your boys noticed anything odd about her." Hmmm. So he did know something. "Actually, they did. Jasper couldn't feel or influence her emotions and Edward couldn't hear her thoughts." "Ah. That is what I thought. I couldn't sense any ability from her, but it was different than when I, say, look at you. She is a shield. Other abilities do not affect her." "No one's ability? Not even Aro's?" "No Carlisle, I don't think anyone's ability would affect her. That's probably why Aro hasn't found her himself, or taken action against her human family." This is very interesting. We discussed some other business, including a bit about the boys reaction to her before hanging up.

I started looking through my things, seeing if I could find anything about hybrids, when there was a knock at my door. Jasper. "Come in Jasper."

(JPOV)

I entered Carlisle's office nervously. I must have been projecting it because he became fidgety as well. I smiled sheepishly at him and calmed down. "Would you like to go for a run?" "Of course I would Jasper. Lead the way." We headed out of the house and into the forest. I stopped by a stream which I knew was out of range for Edward to hear our thoughts. I sighed. Carlisle smiled. He was always so proud when we acted human. Although I had only been with him and his family for 50 or so years, I felt very much apart of it. Esme immediately made me feel welcome and Carlisle was so patient with me trying to control my bloodlust. I liked to make him proud. "Carlisle? How did you know Esme was the one?" He smiled at me and sat down on a log, motioning me to join him, "That is a very good question Jasper. It really happened it two parts. You know I had met Esme before when she was 16 and had broken her leg. I never forgot about that and neither did she, even after her transformation. When she was brought into the morgue, presumed dead and I looked down on her, something inside me clicked. It wasn't love at first site, necessarily, but it was something. It made this life seem worth living. After she changed, we were together through all the struggles and fell in love. It did take a little time. I believe it takes a little time because of how hard it is for vampires to change. But it happened. And we've been together ever since." He looked at me and smiled. "Son? Did something happen when you looked at Danielle?" I nodded, not trusting my voice. He smiled. "I thought so. I don't think Edward is interested in her like that, but was more just giving you a hard time. Some of that brotherly love." "Really?" Carlisle nodded. "I know Edward very well. He was just being, well, Edward. Don't worry about him. If it's meant to be between you and Danielle, it will happen." "Thanks Carlisle." "No problem, Jasper." He left me to my thoughts and ran back to the house. I sat on the log thinking about Danielle.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER EIGHT

(DPOV)

The rest of the weekend flew by. I was taking a couple internet classes, so I finished up some work for them and spent quite a bit of time on AIM with my cousin Kris who just moved to Phoenix, AZ to be with his dad. He was getting ready to start his freshmen year of high school and wanted some advice. He also wanted to know if I had found what I was looking for. I told him I thought I had.

Monday, I drove my VW Beetle back down to the hospital in Forks. I was supposed to meet with Carlisle and give him some samples and more detailed information so he could try to figure out exactly what being a hybrid meant. I hoped he had found more information for me over the weekend. I was a bit nervous about what kind of samples he'd need too. I knew from experience that needles didn't pierce my skin. Before I knew it, I was pulling up in front of the hospital.

"Hi. I'm here to see Dr. Cullen," I told the receptionist. "Oh yes, he said for you to meet him in is office. It's down the hall, 3rd door on the left." "Thank you." The door was shut. I knocked. "Come in." "Hi Carlisle," I grinned at him. "What kind of fun do you have in store for me?" He looked at a tray full of supplies and dropped his voice down, "I'm not quite sure how we're going to get a blood sample from you Danielle. I assume needles don't penetrate your skin?" I shook my head. "That's what I thought. Let me get some other samples first." He swabbed my mouth, and then sent me down the hall to the restroom so I could pee in a cup. I returned and gave him the cup. "These will help, but I really need a blood sample," he muttered. "Um, Carlisle?" "Yes?" "From what I understand, vampires are like diamonds, right?" He nodded. "So, the only thing that will cut my skin is another hybrid or a vampire?" "Yes, I believe that to be true." "That's what I thought." I took a deep breath. "Alright, let's do this." And then I bit my arm.

(CPOV)

I was able to get some blood from Danielle's bite before her skin closed. I wasn't sure it was enough but I wasn't going to ask her to bite herself again. I had her rest in my office while I got her cookies and orange juice. "I contacted some of my friends this weekend, Danielle," I announced as I came back to my office, "Eleazar told me you have an ability. You're a shield. No other abilities can get through to you. Edward couldn't hear your thoughts and Jasper couldn't feel or influence your emotions. We also believe this is what has kept you safe from Aro. Well, that and your young age," I smiled at her. "A shield? That sounds cool. I'm very glad Edward can't hear my thoughts. Did you find out anything about hybrids?" "I contacted an Irish coven I keep in touch with who recommended I contact Zafrina, in the Amazon Coven. It is difficult to get in touch with her though, but I will keep trying." "Thank you Carlisle. I appreciate all you're doing to help me." "It's my pleasure, Danielle. My family was wondering if you'd come over tonight; Esme has a new recipe she'd like to make for you and the boys want to play video games." She smiled, with a faint blush on her cheeks. She really was perfect for Jasper. "I'd love to come over. Your family has made me feel very welcome here." "Perfect! My shift is over at 6pm today. Would you like to meet me here and follow me back to my house?" "That sounds great Carlisle."


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER NINE

(DPOV)

Oh no! I wasn't planning to go over to the Cullen's! I didn't even wash my hair this morning. Crap crap crap crap crap. I hurried to my car and immediately drove back to my little house in Port Angeles. I heated some leftover pizza for lunch and then started getting ready. I took a long shower, washed my hair with the best smelling shampoo I owned and styled it so the layers framed my face. Then I went to my closet to find something to wear. I wanted to look nice, but not too nice, like I was trying to look nice, especially if I was going to do was play video games. I finally decided on a pair of dark wide-leg jeans that made my ass look hot and a dark blue V-neck top to show off my eyes. And my signature black Doc Martens. I painted my nails with a sparkly silver nail polish and checked my email to see if Kris had written me back yet. I brushed my teeth, put on my watch, some jelly bracelets, a necklace and a black onyx ring that had belonged to my mom. I looked at my watch. I still had 30 minutes before I needed to leave. I sighed. I grabbed some CDs for my car and a can of Dr Pepper for the drive down there and went out to the car. I figured I'd make it to the hospital around 5:45pm.

(JPOV)

"Jasper?" Esme's voice drew me out of the trance I was in. "Jasper, can I come in?" "Yes," I answered. She came in and saw me lying on my bed and smiled at me. She was excited. Very excited. "Carlisle called. He was able to get samples from Danielle and he invited her over tonight for dinner and video games." "What? She's coming here? When?" I sat up in alarm. "His shift ends at 6 tonight and then they'll be coming here." "What time is it now?" "It's 1 in the afternoon. Carlisle did request for you and your brothers to do a little hunting first. Just in case." I knew I would never harm Danielle and I had just hunted three days ago, but maybe a quick hunt would help me clear my mind. "Oh, okay. I'll go for a quick hunt, Esme." And I was out the door.

I had just drained my second deer when Edward and Emmett caught up with me. I was full and started to head back to the house when Edward stopped me. He was confused. "You really like this girl." It wasn't a question, but I answered anyways. "Yes, I do and I need to go get ready before she gets here." 'Aw, Jazz," said Emmett, "Don't try too hard, I think she likes you." We both turned and looked at him. "Why do you say that?" asked Edward. Emmett grinned. "You two rely on your abilities so much, you can't see the obvious. She likes you Jazz." I grinned at him and ran back to the house to get ready for Danielle's arrival.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER 10

(JPOV)

I think that was the most time I had spent getting ready in my life. I was so excited about her coming over that it took me twice as long to do anything. I took a shower, washed my hair and tried to fix it. I spent about an hour in my closet trying to pick out something to wear before I finally asked Esme for help. She was ecstatic and I was already excited and nervous and between the two of us, we were acting like a couple of teenage girls getting ready for a date. Edward stuck his head in my room, "Yes, Jazz, you're acting like a teenager girl! Just pick something to wear already. Everything Esme picked out looked good." I rolled my eyes at him and closed the door to my room. I finally decided I eventually decided on a dark blue V-neck sweater (to match Danielle's eyes) and a pair of dark, indigo wash carpenter-style jeans. Oh, and a pair of black combat boots since she seemed to like them. I looked at the clock. Four pm. Great. I went downstairs to see if Esme needed any help.

"Esme, do you need any help with dinner?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen. She smiled at me. "It might not be a bad idea for you to learn how to make some human food Jasper." Hmm. I hadn't thought of that. She got out a cookbook for me to read over, answering questions about various terms for me, before showing me how to make a salad. She also showed me how the oven and stove worked and helped me boil pasta for Danielle's dinner. I really hoped she liked lasagna.

As I was pulling the lasagna out of the oven, we heard Carlisle's car pull up, followed by another car. I was a tad jealous. Since my brothers and I were going back to high school, we were "too young" to have our driver's licenses and weren't able to drive anymore. Emmett and I would take drivers Ed next year and get new cars, as we sold our cars before we moved here. I missed driving. Emmett's booming laugh drug me from my thoughts. "What's so funny, Em?" Edward asked as he left the piano and walked over to the window. He started laughing too. I was feeling left out, but Esme still had me working on dinner. It seemed like a lot of food for one person, but Esme didn't want our guest to be hungry. "Emmett! Edward! You get away from that window," Esme said from the kitchen. Emmett went back to his video game and Edward back to his piano, but not before casting glances my way. What was going on?

I could hear Danielle and Carlisle talking as they walked to the front door. Carlisle was teasing her about locking her car up. I had to grin; her scent was a better defense than any car alarm. I kept staring at the door waiting for her to walk through it. Carlisle finally opened the door. Danielle looked around the room, nodded at Edward who looked up at her before meeting my eyes. She smiled at me and in that instant my life changed. I smiled back at her, before walking over to her to greet her. As I moved from behind the counter, she gasped then smiled shyly with that delicious blush faintly covering her cheeks. What was going on?


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

(DPOV)

I made it Forks without any incident and met Carlisle at the hospital. He had already run some tests and we briefly discussed the results as well as setting up another appointment to run more tests. Then, I followed Carlisle out to his house. I got out of my car and locked it, which made him chuckle. I looked at him, confused. "I just think it's…cute that you lock your car, Danielle. Your scent would probably deter anyone from messing with your car, and I know no one would mess with it on our property." I grinned back him, "Just habit, I guess." We walked together to the front door; well I kind of bounced, as I was very excited to see _him_. Carlisle just smiled at me and opened the door.

I immediately scanned the room for him. Emmett was deeply engrossed in a video game. Edward looked up at me from the piano bench. I nodded a greeting at him. Finally, I found him. He was in the kitchen. I smiled at him and he smiled back at me. He moved from behind the kitchen counter and started walking towards me when I gasped. He stopped, unsure of why I had gasped. I smiled up at him, feeling my cheeks burn. 'I guess great minds think alike, huh?" He cocked his head and looked at me, realization dawning on his face. We were basically wearing the same outfit! "I guess so, but I think you look better in that colour than I do. The blue brings out your eyes." I smiled at him again, unsure of what to say. As if on cue, Esme's voice rang out from the kitchen, "I hope you're hungry dear! Jasper and I have made dinner for you." I raised an eyebrow in surprise, "You cook, Jasper?" He grinned," It was a learning experience. I hope you like lasagna." I followed him into the kitchen, where he sat on a stool at the bar, motioning for me to sit next to him. I did. "It smells delicious," I said as I looked at the massive amount of food on the counter. Esme handed me a full plate of food and excused herself. "Just let me know if you think anything else, Danielle." "Thanks, Esme."

I started eating the lasagna, hoping I wasn't grossing Jasper out. He didn't seem to mind. "This is really good, Jasper. You're a great cook." "Thanks, Danielle. I had the best teacher," he smiled at me. "I was wondering if you'd tell me about your history. Carlisle mentioned you fought in the Civil War! What was that like?" As I ate my dinner, he told me about his past. He was born in 1843 and was a major in the Confederate Army in Texas until he was turned into a vampire by Maria. He trained and commanded Maria's Newborn Army that participated in the Southern Vampire Wars. While in the army, he befriended a newborn named Peter and his mate Charlotte. They left the South and after a few years living as nomads in the Northern U.S., they came back and told Jasper about the way vampires could coexist in the North, and he left with them. "I stayed with them for a few years, but I was unable to continue feeding on humans. I could feel the emotions that the humans felt when I fed, and I was tired of all the killing. Like you, I heard of Carlisle and I joined his family. I'm sure Carlisle has told you about my troubles controlling my bloodlust?" I nodded. "But that makes sense, seeing how violent it was when you were turned." "So what about you? Carlisle has told us what he knows about you, but I'd like to here your story from you." I had finished eating dinner, so I started telling him my story.

"My name's Danielle Kelley. I was born on January 14, 1984 in East Texas. My mother had been attacked by a vampire about a month before and she didn't survive my birth. Her sister, Linda and her husband, David, raised me. I grew at an accelerated rate, so I couldn't attend public school. I read everything I could get my hands on and watched every educational TV show and video my aunt could find. My cousin Kris was born in 1988 and by the time he was ready to start kindergarten, I had stopped aging. My aunt and uncle had us transferred to a nearby school district where I was enrolled as a freshman." I stopped and smiled. "Kris and I are really close. We had to ride the bus to school. It was a very small school, one where the elementary, middle school and high school are all connected. So I used to walk him to his class, and then walk through the school to my class. I did that everyday for 4 years. I did really well in high school and graduated first in my class and went to a nearby university and received a degree in Art History. It only took me 2 and a half years to graduate, because I already had some college credits, I took a lot of hours and went to class during the summer. My aunt and uncle got divorced. She stayed in Texas, but he moved to Phoenix, AZ. Kris just moved out this summer. He'll be a freshman in high school this year. We email and talk on AIM a lot. I miss him." I sighed. Jasper patted my hand comfortingly. "Then I started looking for others like me. Found several nomads, learned the rules of the Volturi, and heard about your family. Finally found my way up to Denali and now here." I smiled. "And I'm very glad I found you and your family. "And we're glad you found us too!" hollered Emmett from the living room. "I thought you were going to play some games with us, Danielle?" I grinned at Jasper, "Apparently, I'm being paged." He smirked at me and we joined Emmett in the living room.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER TWELVE

(JPOV)

Finally. I told her all about my past and she didn't judge me at all. And I found out about her. Carlisle wasn't joking – she was young! I was glad her family raised her, but I could tell she didn't really feel at home with them. Except for her cousin; he seemed to really look up to her. Then Emmett had to ruin our moment. At least he let Danielle pick out the video game. She said she wasn't a big gamer, but she liked Star Wars, so she picked out Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on Xbox. Emmett showed her how the controller worked and they started playing. I heard Carlisle's voice call me from his study. Danielle was pretty engrossed in the game, so I went to see what he wanted.

"You wanted to see me, Carlisle?" "Yes of course, Jasper. Please come in. It seems Danielle is fitting in very well with our family. I have already discussed with Esme about asking her to stay with us. I wanted to ask for your opinion, before discussing this with your brothers." Wait – Carlisle wants Danielle to be part of our family? I smiled widely at Carlisle, "I think that's a great idea." He smiled back at me. "I thought you might say that, but we would leave the decision up to her, of course. I know it will be a change for the whole family, as she has many human characteristics. I wanted to tell you about the test results too." He proceeded to explain how her skin is almost as strong as ours, but doesn't sparkle in the sunlight. He mentioned her saliva did not have venom in it and was exactly like a humans. Her blood was almost completely pure, which is unusual given her age, and had traces of venom in it, giving her long-life, if not immortality. "I've arranged with Danielle to do more tests later in the week." We discussed more about what these findings could mean and reaching the Amazon Coven. I also brought up how much she missed her cousin in Phoenix.

I'm not sure how long I was in Carlisle's study**,** but I heard Edward's amused voice call my name from the living room. I went in there and was shocked at what I saw. Emmett was sitting on the couch, still engrossed in his video game, but Danielle had fallen asleep. She was curled up in the fetal position, with her hands under her head as a pillow. She had a slight smile on her lips and she looked like an angel. I kept looking at her, committing the moment to my memory. "Esme?" I heard Edward whisper. She came into the room. "Yes? Oh, that doesn't look comfortable. We need to get a room set up for her here. Why don't you carry her up to your room, Jasper? You're the only one with a bed; I'm sure that'd be more comfortable for her." I could've kissed Esme, but then I realized what this meant. Danielle in my room, on my bed. I glanced at Edward, who was smirking at me. I rolled my eyes at him and went over to Danielle. I picked her up bridal style and carried her upstairs to my room. As I went to lay her down, however, she fussed a little. I tried again and she wouldn't let go of my arm. I didn't want her to wake so I got on the bed and laid on my side and placed her on her side in front of me. Spooning I think it's called. I looked at the clock and it was after 1AM. I remembered she mentioned she slept for about 4 hours a day. I smiled and sniffed her hair. She smelt so good. But I didn't get that familiar burn in my throat that warm blood normally caused. I placed my head right at the crook of her neck and took a deep breath. Her amazing scent filled me, but still no burning. Awesome. She was still gripping my arm, but I didn't mind. She was holding my arm between her breasts, so my hand was right above her heart. She was so soft and warm. I realized even if she didn't return my feelings, I would still be her best friend and protector. I also decided to work harder on controlling my bloodlust. I hadn't had an accident in years, but I knew Danielle cared deeply for her human family and she was half human herself. I vowed to do better for her.

I could hear Carlisle holding a family meeting in the living room, discussing with my brothers about asking Danielle to become part of our family. Emmett agreed, but Edward said only if she went to high school with us. We all agreed that would be fine, so Carlisle said we'd talk it over with her when she woke up. I knew she'd have no trouble fitting in with the humans at school; after all she acted much more human than us. She did everything at human speed. Did she have vampire abilities? Was there some way we could measure them? Maybe we could race and see how fast she can run. Edward must've been screening my thoughts as he mentioned my idea to Carlisle. He agreed that we would do some speed and strength tests with Danielle and maybe we should teach her some basic defense. _"I will protect her."_ I thought. "But you might not always be around," whispered Edward. "You're the best fighter in the family; you should teach her." I couldn't argue that point.

We laid on my bed for a couple of hours before her breathing starting changing and she started shifting. I thought she was waking up until she scooted back and rubbed her amazing ass on my crotch. A low growl escaped my chest and Edward came running into my room. So he was scanning my thoughts. He just smirked at me, seeing the effect Danielle was having on me. "I think she's going to wake up soon; we've been up here for over 3 hours. Help me get my arm loose." Edward helped me get untangled from her death grip and we walked downstairs, passing Esme on the stairs. She was holding a shopping bag. I looked at her, puzzled. "I bought some new clothes and things for Danielle. I don't think she had planned on staying the night; she didn't bring anything with her. I thought she'd like a change of clothes." I was touched by Esme's thoughtfulness. I smiled at her, "That's very sweet, Esme."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N**: Woo hoo! Two people have added this story to their favorites and two others have added it to story alerts! Thank you so much - Hope you're enjoying the story!

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

(DPOV)

I wasn't very good at Xbox and Emmett kept beating me, even though he was trying not to. It was fine with me; video games weren't really my thing anyways. Edward was still playing the piano and I didn't want to interrupt him. Jasper had gone off somewhere and I wasn't comfortable just walking around the house looking for him. I decided to watch Emmett play, in hopes of learning some tricks. I laid down on the couch, making myself comfortable and watched him for a while, before my eyes started getting heavy. I normally didn't get tired this early; must've been all the pasta I ate. I caught myself nodding off a couple times and finally just let the sleep overtake me.

I had the most wonderful dream. I dreamt of him holding me in his strong, cool arms while I slept. It was perfect. Then I was woken up by a loud crash, followed by the sound of a door slamming. I stretched out and realized I was a bed. In a bedroom. And it wasn't mine. I looked around, taking my surroundings in. It was a large room, very clean and modern with dark blue walls. The bed I was on was huge and in a corner of the room and the rest of the room was filled with bookcases and shelves. I had never seen so many books in a bedroom before. There were also a lot of antiques in display cases. I noticed a couple doors, hoping one went to a bathroom. Just as I sat up on the bed, there was a knock at the door. "Danielle? It's Esme." "Oh, please come in." She came in and closed the door behind her. She sat a large shopping bag down on the edge of the bed. "I went and got you some clothes and toiletries. I wasn't sure of your size or preferences, so I got a few different items that you can pick from." "Oh thank you Esme! I hadn't planned on staying the night; I didn't bring anything with me. Um, is there bathroom here?" She smiled, "Yes, dear. Through the right door there. There are towels in there if you'd like to take a shower and there's a robe and things in the bag for you. And are you hungry? I could make you chocolate chip pancakes." I smiled back at her. "I'm not right now, but I will be in an hour or two. Thanks Esme." She nodded and left. I grabbed the bag and headed to the bathroom.

The bathroom was the most luxurious I had ever been in. Super modern and had the coolest shower ever! It had several shower jets so it felt more like rain than a shower. Esme had got me some awesome shower gel and shampoo too. I spent way to long getting ready, but I was like a kid in the candy store. There were gadgets in the bathroom I'd never seen before and Esme had gone above and beyond with her purchases. She had gotten tons of clothes; 5 bra and panties sets, 5 tops, 3 jeans, 2 skirts… it was crazy! And everything fit perfectly. I decided on a pair of faded flares and a light blue shirt that said "Don't Mess with Texas". I giggled; Esme had a wicked sense of humor. I was combing my hair when someone knocked on the bedroom door. "Come in!" "Hey Danielle, it's Jasper. Esme wants to know if you're ready for pancakes." I froze. I was in Jasper's room? I had slept on his bed and used his shower? Oh God. He must've heard my heart rate increase, as he took a couple steps towards the bathroom door. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine," I squeaked out, then groaned. I was acting like a child. Jasper didn't sound convinced. "Okay. What should I tell Esme?" "Pancakes would be great. I'll be down in a few minutes." I heard him leave and close the door. I sighed. _"Time to face the music,"_ I thought. I headed downstairs.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:** Thanks for checking my story out! I will be on vacation for the next week, so my updates might not be as frequent as usual. Also, I'm trying to make the chapters longer, so I'll probably only update every other day. If you like my story, please consider adding it to your favorites or story alerts. Thanks!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN**

(JPOV)

As Edward and I reached the bottom of the stairs, Emmett immediately started bombarding me with teasing and questions. None of us could remember much about our human lives and my brothers were curious about Danielle sleeping. I answered his questions the best I could, reiterating that nothing happened and if anything had happened he would have heard it. Then Edward had to bring up how my arm was between her breasts and how she rubbed herself on my crotch. I shoved Edward, and he fell on the coffee table, breaking it. Esme told us to go outside before we broke something else. I thought I heard Danielle moving upstairs, but Esme ushered me outside and headed up the stairs.

"Come on Jazz; I'll race you!" Emmett took off into the woods. I rolled my eyes and started running, Edward besides me. I raised an eyebrow at him. He just smirked at me. We caught up with Emmett, who was leaning against a tree. "I totally beat you both! That girl's really messing up your game!" "I let you beat me Emmett," muttered Edward. "But he is right about this girl messing with you." "She's not 'messing with me' guys. I just want to get to know her better." Emmett laughed, "I bet you do Jazz." I threw a tree at him. "Shut up; you know what I mean. I'm going back to the house. Maybe Esme needs help with breakfast." I ran off, leaving Edward and Emmett laughing, talking about how whipped I was.

As I got to the house, I heard water running. Actually, I heard a shower running. My shower. I looked at Esme in the kitchen. She nodded. Danielle was using my shower. I could hear the water hitting her and running down her skin. I must've been projecting some emotions, as Esme suddenly growled, flustered. "I'm so sorry Esme," I said as I calmed down. "It's alright Jasper. I know this is a new experience for you and you'll learn how to better control your emotions the more you're around her." The water stopped running and Danielle started rummaging around upstairs getting ready. I'd only been away from her an hour and I was starting to get anxious about seeing her again. Esme smiled at me. "Would you go ask Danielle if she'd like pancakes now? Make sure to knock first." I grinned and ran up the stairs to my room. I knocked on the door. "Come in!" "Hey Danielle, it's Jasper. Esme wants to know if you're ready for pancakes." She was in the bathroom, with the door closed. She didn't answer, but her heart rate and breathing increased. Strange. "Are you okay?" "I'm fine," she said, then groaned. I wasn't convinced, but I guess she didn't want to talk about it. "Okay. What should I tell Esme?" "Pancakes would be great. I'll be down in a few minutes." I left, closing the door. I heard her sigh as I left. I hoped she was okay.

I went in the kitchen and started helping Esme make pancakes. I was getting pretty good at flipping them, when I heard Danielle come down the stairs. As she reached the kitchen I turned and looked at her, drinking in her sight. Esme picked out a great outfit; it fit Danielle perfectly. "I like your shirt." "Thank you." I then realized she was shorter than the day before. She must've noticed me scrutinizing her. "Something wrong Jasper?" "No, well, I'm not sure. You seem shorter today." She grinned. "I'm barefoot. The boots add a couple inches to my height." I nodded. "Makes sense. I hope you're hungry." I put a plate full of pancakes on the bar for her. As she was eating, Carlisle came in to ask her about doing some tests to test her vampire abilities. "Just like racing each other and stuff? I'm game, as long as no one makes fun of me when I lose," she glared at Emmett. He held up his hand, "Scout's honor!" She finished up her pancakes, went back upstairs and put on her shoes, then met us all in the back yard. "Alright. So what are we doing first?"


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Two more people added this to story alerts and three more added it to favorites! Thank you so much! This is my longest chapter so far! Hope yall like it!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN**

(DPOV)

Jasper and Esme were in the kitchen making pancakes as I walked down the stairs. As I walked in the kitchen, Jasper gave me a heart melting smile. I couldn't help but smile back. "I like your shirt," he said. "Thank you." I realized he was looking at me very carefully. "Something wrong Jasper?" "No, well, I'm not sure. You seem shorter today." I grinned. "I'm barefoot. The boots add a couple inches to my height." He nodded. "Makes sense. I hope you're hungry." He put a plate full of pancakes on the bar for me. I sat down and starting eating and Jasper came and sat next to me. As I was eating, Carlisle came in and asked me about doing some tests to test my vampire abilities. "Just like racing each other and stuff? I'm game, as long as no one makes fun of me when I lose," I glared at Emmett. He held up his hand, "Scout's honor!" I finished up my pancakes, went back upstairs and put on my shoes, then met the family in the back yard. "Alright. So what are we doing first?"

Carlisle answered, "Well, I've been thinking. Edward is the fastest, Emmett is the strongest and Jasper is the best fighter. Strictly from a physical aspect, your skills should be on par with Esme," she looked at me and smiled. I nodded, "Because we're both female and about the same size?" Carlisle nodded, "Yes. The boys are going to participate in the tests too, but I'm going to be comparing your skills to that of Esme's. I thought we'd start with some speed tests first. We're going to race 3 times around the house." Esme and I got in place. "On your mark, get set, go!" I ran like I had never ran in my life. Being raised by humans, I wasn't able to indulge in my talents. We were neck and neck the first two laps, but on the third, I fell behind. Esme beat me, but not by much. Carlisle seemed impressed. Edward wanted to race me, but Carlisle wanted to get all these tests out of the way before he went to work. I had a feeling we would be doing this all afternoon. "Carlisle? I've never done anything like this before; I'm worried I might not have the same endurance that yall do." He nodded, "I had thought of that, Danielle. If you start getting tired or need a break, let me know. Oh and I got this for you." He handed me a bottle of Gatorade. "Sweet! Thanks."

"Let's wrestle!" yelled Emmett. My eyes opened wide and he started laughing at me. "You'll be wrestling with me, dear," said Esme. "Oh okay." "We'll just do an arm wrestle, Danielle. Maybe later we can do some full contact wrestling." We went over to a tree stump and started arm wrestling. At first, I was holding my own, but as my muscles got tired, Esme was able to beat me. I told Carlisle what had happened; he didn't seem too surprised. "You're actually doing a bit better than I expected Danielle." I grinned at him. "Cool. So what's next?" "We're going to try some jumps and things like that." With a bit of a running start, I was able to jump just as far as Esme. I could also throw trees like she could, but they didn't go as far. She also showed me how to crush a rock with my hand. She could do it with just her thumb and index finger, while I had to use the palms of my hands, but I could still do it! I was pretty excited to find out about my abilities; it made me feel like more of an equal.

"I think it's about lunch time, isn't it Danielle?" asked Jasper. I nodded," Yes it is. I'm having a lot of fun, but I do need to take a break." "I'll come with you; I need to get ready for work," said Carlisle. Jasper was about to say something, but I interrupted. "Good, I needed to talk to you about something." "Of course." We raced back to the house. Carlisle was holding back, though and we got there at the same time. I stuck my tongue out at him, before realizing what I was doing. "I'm sorry Carlisle; I didn't mean to be rude." "It's okay, Danielle," he interrupted, laughing. "You're a breath of fresh air around here. Now what did you want to talk about?" I looked down at my feet, nervously. "Um, well remember how we met? Yeah, well since you interrupted me, I didn't get any blood. It's been over a week, and with all the physical activity I've been doing today…" I trailed off, hoping he understood what I meant. He did, "Oh, of course. Have you tried animal blood?" I wrinkled my nose at him, "I don't hunt and I don't want to kill an animal. Plus, I don't need that much blood, so it would be somewhat of a waste. That's why I stick to donated blood." He nodded. "I'll get you some from the hospital and we can try to come up with some alternatives later. Alright?" I grinned, "Deal."

We headed into the house and I started rummaging around the kitchen. I heard something behind me and turned, running into Jasper. I put my hand over my heart, "God! Are you trying to kill me?" I panted, trying to catch my breath. He just stood there, frozen. I realized my rapid heartbeat and flush weren't helping him any. I swallowed and tried to calm myself. It must've worked, because Jasper took a deep breath and smiled at me. "I'm sorry I scared you. I didn't mean to. I'm not used to being able to sneak up on people. My apologies." I couldn't help but smile back at him, he was such a gentleman. "It's okay Jasper. I'm not used to being around people who can sneak up on me." He grinned. "Do you need some help with lunch?" "I'm not sure. I'm kinda in the mood for pizza." I opened the freezer. "But you don't seem to have any. I'll find something else." "We could just go get pizza. I know there's a place in town." "Oh I don't want you to have to do that all pretend to be eating thing. Do they deliver?" He laughed a little. "I guess not." Esme came down to the kitchen. "Why don't you call in your order and I'll go pick it up for you." "That would work. Thank you Esme." I grabbed the phone book. "Pizza. Chicago Ru's Pizza. Sounds good to me." I called and placed an order for a medium thin crust cheese pizza. "It'll be ready in 15 minutes Esme," I yelled upstairs. I opened the fridge, looking for a coke. No coke. I sighed. "Do you need something else?" asked Jasper. "It's fine. Really." "What do you need dear?" asked Esme. "I just really like to drink Dr Pepper. Especially with pizza." "No problem dear; I'll pick some up for you. I've heard soda tastes better in a can, is that right?" "Yes, cans are better than plastic bottles. Thank you for doing this for me Esme." "It's not a problem. Later we should go to the grocery store together so you can pick out what you like. I stop in every week anyways to keep up our human appearances; might as well get food someone will actually eat." She smiled and I smiled back. Carlisle came downstairs and told us all goodbye before he left for work. Esme left to go get my coke and pizza. The house was quiet. "Where are Edward and Emmett?" "I think they're running up to Canada," answered Jasper. "Oh." Wait. That meant I was home alone with Jasper. Wait. Home? I'd only known this family a few days and it already felt like home. Then I realized Esme left us here on purpose. I could've driven my car and gotten the pizza myself, but she had gone instead. Jasper sat down at the bar, grinning at me. "Can you feel my emotions?" "No, but I just watched everything you felt flash across your face." "Crap," I muttered, forgetting he could hear me. "Actually, it was kind of cute. And helpful. I'm not used to not being able to use my gift. But yeah, so we've got the house to ourselves for about 30 minutes. Any ideas what we should do?" he waggled his eyebrows and grinned at me. I felt my knees go weak. "Well, actually, I do have some ideas."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** Six more reviews and one more person added this to favorite stories!!! Thank you so much! Oh, and people keep mentioning the spacing between the paragraphs, but it looks fine on my screen. Please help; I'm not sure what you guys are talking about!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

(JPOV)

Danielle did very well in the tests. She raced Esme, arm-wrestled her and did long-jumps, all almost as well as Esme. We also showed her how to crush rocks with her bare hands. She seemed to like that. I realized though that we had been outside for a few hours, and was worried she was hungry. "I think it's about lunch time, isn't it Danielle?" I asked. She looked at me and nodded," Yes it is. I'm having a lot of fun, but I do need to take a break." "I'll come with you; I need to get ready for work," said Carlisle. I was about to offer to come with her too, but she interrupted me. "Good, I needed to talk to you about something." "Of course," Carlisle answered. Oh, she wanted to talk to him privately. I watched them race back to the house, leaving Esme, my brothers and I in the forest.

I was very impressed with Danielle's abilities. She could do everything Esme could, just not for as long. She was still very strong and fast. But not as fast as a vampire. This worried me. If she was ever attacked by a vampire, she would be able to put up a good fight, but would probably get tired and lose. I knew her shielding ability would protect her from some attacks, but not physical ones. I didn't want her to be vulnerable. I decided I would teach her how to fight soon.

Edward tilted his head as if he was listening to something. "Jazz. Carlisle said you could go back to the house now," said Edward. "Hey Emmett, I'll race you to Canada!" "You're on Eddie!" My brothers took off. Esme and I ran back to the house. She smiled at me and headed upstairs to see Carlisle. I went into the kitchen to see Danielle. I walked up behind her to offer my help, when she suddenly turned around, bumping into me. She just about jumped out of her skin, and put my hand over my heart, "God! Are you trying to kill me?" she panted. I just stood there, frozen. Her heartbeat was going crazy and her face was flushed and she looked beautiful. And so sexy. Wait; she asked me a question. I smiled at her, "I'm sorry I scared you. I didn't mean to. I'm not used to being able to sneak up on people. My apologies." She smiled back at me, "It's okay Jasper. I'm not used to being around people who can sneak up on me." "Do you need some help with lunch?" "I'm not sure. I'm kinda in the mood for pizza." She opened the freezer. "But you don't seem to have any. I'll find something else." "We could just go get pizza. I know there's a place in town." "Oh I don't want you to have to do that all pretend to be eating thing. Do they deliver?" I laughed a little. "I guess not." Esme came down to the kitchen. "Why don't you call in your order and I'll go pick it up for you." "That would work. Thank you Esme." Danielle grabbed the phone book. "Pizza. Chicago Ru's Pizza. Sounds good to me." She called and placed an order for a medium thin crust cheese pizza. "It'll be ready in 15 minutes Esme," she yelled upstairs. Then she opened the fridge, looked around and sighed. "Do you need something else?" I asked. "It's fine. Really." "What do you need dear?" asked Esme. "I just really like to drink Dr Pepper. Especially with pizza." "No problem dear; I'll pick some up for you. I've heard soda tastes better in a can, is that right?" "Yes, cans are better than plastic bottles. Thank you for doing this for me Esme." "It's not a problem. Later we should go to the grocery store together so you can pick out what you like. I stop in every week anyways to keep up our human appearances; might as well get food someone will actually eat." Esme smiled and Danielle smiled back. I smiled too. I noticed my family was a lot happier when Danielle was around. I wondered if it was because I was happy and affecting their emotions or if she made them happy.

Then, Carlisle came downstairs and told us all goodbye before he left for work. Esme left to go get the coke and pizza. Danielle looked around the house, "Where are Edward and Emmett?" "I think they're running up to Canada," I answered. "Oh." Then about a million different emotions and thoughts ran across her face. I sat down at the bar, grinning at her. She looked at me, alarmed, "Can you feel my emotions?" "No, but I just watched everything you felt flash across your face." "Crap," she muttered. "Actually, it was kind of cute. And helpful. I'm not used to not being able to use my gift." I wasn't sure she felt the same way about me, but I decided to try flirting with her. "But yeah," I continued, "so we've got the house to ourselves for about 30 minutes. Any ideas what we should do?" I waggled my eyebrows and grinned at her. Then she blew me away, "Well, actually, I do have some ideas." She grinned and winked at me, as she walked into the living room.

I ran into the living room, where she was pushing the coffee table up against the wall. "There," she pointed to the big open space in the center of the room. "Perfect." Wait. She wanted to make-out in the living room? What? I just looked at her. "What kind of ideas do you have Miss Danielle?" "Carlisle mentioned you're the best fighter in the family. Could you teach me?" I smiled at her, "Why of course. Esme doesn't like us fighting inside, but we can go over some basics before she gets back with your pizza."

We started with different fighting positions and I explained how she could see where I was going to strike based on how my muscles moved. She learned quickly and was soon ducking and dodging my attacks. Except for one. I tried to stop, but I ran into her, knocking her to the ground and landing on top of her. As luck would have it, Esme came rushing in the door at the sound of the crash. "Jasper! What is going on in here?"


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN**

**(DPOV)**

"Well, actually, I do have some ideas." I grinned and winked at him, as I walked into the living room.

He followed me into the living room, watching as I pushed the coffee table up against the wall. "There," I looked at the big open space in the center of the room. "Perfect." The look on Jasper's face was priceless; he had no idea what was going on. "What kind of ideas do you have Miss Danielle?" "Carlisle mentioned you're the best fighter in the family. Could you teach me?" He smiled at me, "Why of course. Esme doesn't like us fighting inside, but we can go over some basics before she gets back with your pizza."

He started by teaching me different fighting positions and explained how I could see where he was going to strike based on how hi muscles moved. I learned quickly and was soon ducking and dodging his attacks. Except for one. I was so busy checking out how his muscles moved and realized how hot he looked that I forgot he was going to attack me. I dodged at the last second, but he still ran into me, knocking me to the ground and landing on top of me. As luck would have it, Esme came rushing in the door at the sound of the crash. "Jasper! What is going on in here?"

I thought I was going to die of embarrassment. Jasper stood up and helped me up. I couldn't look at him. "Danielle asked me to show her some defense moves. She's a fast learner and was doing really well, but she didn't dodge that time." Esme nodded. "Jasper, please go get the pizza and soda out of the car." While he was doing that, asked me if I was okay. I whispered to Esme that I was fine, just very embarrassed. Esme smiled at me. "I know you two weren't doing anything inappropriate, dear. I think it's great you're spending time with Jasper." I smiled at her. Jasper set the pizza on the bar in the kitchen and put the soda in the fridge. "I'm going to go hunt real quick. Maybe I can teach you some more later Danielle." I nodded, still not looking at him. He ran out of the house. I got a piece of pizza and started eating. Esme came and sat next to me at the bar. "Danielle? I don't want to pry, or overstep any boundaries, but I wanted to ask you about Jasper. I know his gift doesn't affect you, so you may not notice, but he likes you very much." She paused, letting it sink in. I nodded for her to continue. "I was wondering if you returned these feelings?" I nodded. She smiled at me. "Is this a new thing for you?" I nodded again. "I've never had a boyfriend before. I mean, with my rapid aging and everything, I wasn't able to meet anyone and the guys in high school were so immature. The guys in college weren't much better, plus they were human. I don't have anything against dating a human, but I know the Volturi wouldn't be pleased with that. I don't want them interfering with my life." Esme nodded. "I know you've talked with Jasper about his early life and such and I know these types of conversations can be very awkward. Would you like me to tell you some about his personal life?" I nodded; I couldn't imagine asking Jasper about it without dying of embarrassment. "Jasper is also inexperienced with dating. Vampires can have… flings, but once they find their mate, they will be together for eternity. Jasper remembers very little of his human life, but given as he was a soldier and 20 years old when he was turned, he probably was already… experienced with women." I had already expected as much. Esme continued, "Jasper is very ashamed of what he did before he joined our family. His early life as a vampire was full of violence. He told you how he fought in the Southern Vampire Wars?" "Yes, we talked about that." "Eventually, his friend Peter and his mate Charlotte convinced him to go north with them. He stayed with them for many years, still hunting humans. His gift however, made him feel what his victims were feeling. He also was… intimate with his female victims before he killed them." She stopped and looked at me to gauge my reaction. It was gross, yes, but very common from what I had learned. Blood and sex were very closely related to a vampire. Esme patted my hand and continued, "Eventually he couldn't handle that lifestyle anymore. He heard of a different coven and started searching for us. He found us and we welcomed him with open arms. He still struggles, as you know, with his thirst, but has greatly improved during the last few years. With your influence, I believe he will do even better in the future." I smiled. "Thank you for telling me all that Esme; I doubt Jasper would have been comfortable telling me himself. So since he was joined your family, he hasn't dated any?" Esme smiled, "No, Jasper has been alone for about 50 years now. Trust me; he's just as nervous about this as you are." I grabbed another slice of pizza and ate it, thinking about what Esme had told me.

I put away the leftover pizza when I was finished. Esme asked me to look over some things on the computer with her. She was looking at furniture. "Carlisle and I had talked about setting up a guest room, but hadn't really had a reason to before. Now that you've come into our lives, we've decided to set up a bedroom for you." I looked at her, shocked. "Esme, you don't need to do that for me." "Yes we do, Danielle. Besides, we need a guest room. I wanted you to pick out everything though. Do you like modern furniture?" I nodded. "And my favorite color is purple." She smiled, "Excellent. Let's start looking." I picked out a very modern white high gloss lacquer queen-sized bed that had nightstands attached to the headboard. She insisted I get the matching 6-drawer and 9-drawer dresser. Esme picked out a couple S-shaped bookcases, also in white lacquer. I picked two white leather mid-century modern chairs. Esme found a small table to fit between them. We also picked out a mattress, purple bedding, a mirror and some artwork. I tried to tell Esme we were spending too much money, but she shrugged it off. "You bring much joy to my family. Please let me do this for you." I couldn't really argue with that. We looked at some other stuff for around the house, when I realized it was late in the afternoon. I needed to go home and take care of some things there. I told Esme this, and we went downstairs together. The boys still weren't back. I didn't want to leave without telling Jasper bye, but I really needed to go home. "Thank you again for everything, Esme." I hugged her and left.

I drove up to the hospital to get the blood from Carlisle. He didn't seem too surprised to see me; Esme must've called him and told him I left. He got the blood for me and mentioned that he and his family would be "camping" for the next few days and wouldn't be back until Saturday. We agreed to reschedule my tests for Monday.

I got back in my car and started heading back to Port Angeles, deep in thought.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: **Two more people have added this to their favorites and another person reviewed!!! Thank you guys so much!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN**

**(JPOV)**

"Jasper! What is going on in here?"

Danielle was beneath me, obviously embarrassed. I stood up and helped her up. "Danielle asked me to show her some defense moves. She's a fast learner and was doing really well, but she didn't dodge that time." Danielle was still flushed, looking at the floor. Esme raised an eyebrow at me, but nodded. "Jasper, please go get the pizza and soda out of the car." I did as she asked. I heard her ask Danielle if she was okay. Oh no! I forgot I could have actually hurt her. I heard her whisper to Esme she was fine, just very embarrassed. "I know you two weren't doing anything inappropriate, dear. I think it's great you're spending time with Jasper." They smiled at each other. I walked in and set the pizza on the bar in the kitchen and put the soda in the fridge, pretending I hadn't heard them. "I'm going to go hunt real quick. Maybe I can teach you some more later Danielle." she nodded, still looking at the floor. I ran out of the house, hoping to clear my mind and maybe meet up with my brothers.

I wasn't thirsty, but I killed and drained a deer, just to be on the safe side. I started running towards Canada, letting my thoughts drift to her. I knew Esme was telling her more about my past; I had asked her to discuss some things with Danielle that I was too nervous to tell her. I wanted her to know the whole story before our relationship progressed. Esme didn't seem worried about how Danielle would take it, but I was. My brothers had gone to Canada to get away from me and my emotions. I couldn't blame them. My vampire mind was working like crazy; replaying every moment I'd spent with Danielle, thinking of making new moments together, contemplating every angle of how she could take the news of my past. I also thought about what would happen if she joined my family. Edward demanded that she go to high school with us. Would she want to? What grade would she be in? Would she have to pay attention in class? I bet she'd fit in better with the humans. Maybe she'd be the link between us and them as we were always outsiders. I knew she liked art; what other electives would she take? What classes would she hate? Who would her friends be? Esme had selected the bedroom next to mine to be Danielle's, if she moved in with us. Would we one day share a bedroom? Would people think we had some sort of a kinky relationship? What would her cover story be? I was so lost in my thoughts, that I didn't hear my brothers' approach until the last moment. I was about to drop into a crouch, when I realized who it was. "Wow," said Emmett. "You didn't notice us creep up on you AND you didn't attack us! Who are you and what have you done with Jasper?" I growled at him. Edward answered for me. "He has a lot on his mind, Em. Things that we probably should have already been thinking about." He looked up at the sun; it was starting to set. "We should head back home," I said, running. Emmett and Edward ran with me, teasing me about having my head in the clouds. I didn't care; one day they'd find a mate and I would tease them too. I smiled and ran faster; I wanted to see Danielle.

Imagine my surprise when I got closer to the house and couldn't hear her heartbeat. Or see her car. I looked at Edward in surprise. "She's gone?" He nodded. "Esme's thinking about different paint shades. Looks like we'll be painting tonight boys." I groaned, while Emmett cheered. He loved working around the house. I didn't mind, really, but human tools meant we had to work at human speed. I shrugged to myself. I better start getting used to human speed; Danielle seemed to like it. I sighed. I must like her. Edward smirked at me.

As we got in the house, I noticed that Carlisle was home too. "Family meeting in the dining room." We all headed in there and sat down. Carlisle cleared his throat and began, "I checked the weather report and it's supposed to be sunny for the next 3 days." My brothers and I groaned. "I know sons. I've taken a few days off from work, using the camping excuse. I don't think any of us really need to go on a big hunting trip, but I led Danielle to believe that's what we were doing. She won't be around until Saturday at the earliest." What? It was Tuesday evening and she wouldn't be back until Saturday! Over three days without her! What was I going to do? Carlisle continued, "I told her this because we wanted to surprise her. Danielle and Esme ordered furniture and things today for her bedroom here. Esme convinced her that we needed a guest room anyways, but she'd like her to pick out what she liked for it, as she'd probably be our most common guest. The furniture won't be delivered until Friday, but we need to paint the bedroom and bath, redo some of the fixtures, put down carpet, etc." "Carlisle?" asked Emmett. "I agree we need a guest room, but aren't we going to ask her to join our family?" Carlisle nodded, "Yes we are. We're going to have her room already ready for her though so she can move in right away. We also thought it help ease the blow of having to quit driving her car." We all nodded. Man, did I miss driving. Edward nodded at me. "Alright. Esme's got the plans and supplies. Let's start working!"


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: **I'm back from vacation, so updates *should* be more regular. I added a link on profile to my Photobucket account which has pictures of the furniture in Danielle's room. Check it out if you're interested!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

**(DPOV)**

The next three days took forever. I cleaned my entire little house, got some work done on my car, finished my internet classes and spent hours surfing the web. I thought more than once about calling the Cullens, but remembered they were "camping." Kris was apparently just as bored as I was, because we spent a lot of time on AIM talking and sending each other links to check out. I even spent some time exploring Port Angeles. The weather was gorgeous and sunny, so I tried to spend lots of time outside. Finally, it was Saturday. I ate a late breakfast and started heading to Forks around 11AM.

Normally, I enjoyed the drive to Forks, looking at all the scenery and such. Not this time. All I wanted to see out of my car window was the Cullen's house. I tried not to speed too much, as I didn't want a ticket. I popped a burned CD I had just made in my CD player and slowed down, enjoying the music. As I turned down the road towards the Cullen's house, 50 Cent's "In Da Club" came on. I cranked it up and started dancing in my car, as I drove down the driveway. Apparently, I got a little wrapped up in the song, as the next thing I knew, Jasper was standing besides my car door laughing, which caused everyone in the house to come outside and they started laughing too. I glared at him, he quit laughing and everyone else went inside, probably confused about what just happened. I was sure Edward would fill them in and Emmett would make fun of me. I briefly thought about putting the car in reverse and leaving, but Jasper squatted down next to my window and gave me the most pathetic look ever. I sighed, and got out of the car. "I'm sorry Danielle. I was watching you for almost a minute before you noticed me; I thought it was funny how involved you were with the music; I wasn't laughing at your dancing or anything like that." I nodded at him, and then looked towards the house. "Would you like to go for a walk?" I asked. He smiled, "Of course." Then he offered me his arm like a gentleman. I giggled, and we started walking towards the woods. We talked about what I had done the rest of the week and my little rent house in Port Angeles. I told him he'd have to come visit me sometime. He just smiled at me.

After walking through the woods for about an hour, I decided I was ready to face the music back at the house. As we approached the front door, Jasper told me that Carlisle wanted to have a family meeting and wanted me to be there. When we walked in, everyone was already seated around the dining room table, with two empty chairs for Jasper and me. We sat down and I looked at Carlisle questioningly. He smiled slightly at me. "Don't be alarmed, Danielle. You're not in trouble or anything." Sweet. I grinned back at him. "As you know, Danielle, we've only lived here for about a month. My sons will be starting school at Forks High School in 3 weeks. Since you're around my family, I wanted you to know our cover story." I nodded. It made sense. "Esme and I have married for a few years. We found out we couldn't have children and adopted Emmett. Then we adopted Edward and Jasper who are brothers. Emmett and Jasper are sophomores and Edward is a freshman this year." He paused, looking at Esme. She spoke up, "I'm afraid I wasn't completely honest with you last week, Danielle. I had you pick out furniture for your own bedroom. We would like for you to join our family." She smiled at me. I just sat there in shock. I'd only known the Cullens for a little over a week and they were asking me to be part of their family. Wow. It was a lot to take in and many things to think about. "You don't have to make a decision today. We would need to know soon though, so we could have appropriate paperwork drawn up and set up a cover story for you as well." I nodded. "Jasper? Why don't you show Danielle what we've been working on the past few days," said Esme. "We weren't really camping," said Emmett from across the table. I followed Jasper upstairs to the bedroom next to his. He smiled at me, "I hope you like it," and opened the door.

I gasped. It was beautiful and perfect; even better than I had imagined. The walls were a deep, royal purple. The bed was shiny and the comforter was awesome; it looked like a picture in a decorating magazine. I walked around, wide-eyed, taking everything in. Jasper opened a door, "Look at this." It was a huge, walk-in closet already stuffed with clothes and shoes. I picked up a pair of lime green Docs and smiled. "Did you do all this?" "My family and I did this for you these last couple days. We want you to feel welcome in our family. You could join on like a trial basis you know. If it doesn't work out, you could leave." I nodded, but with him around I didn't think I'd ever leave. I looked up and saw he had his head down, playing with the carpet with the toe of his shoe. He was really worried I would leave him; it just about broke my heart. "I think I'll stay here Jasper." He looked up me, "Really?" I nodded and smiled. His face broke out into a huge grin and he picked me up and hugged me close. I giggled and hugged him back. He stopped and set me down, embarrassed. "Sorry about that. I'm just really glad youre staying. Look at this!" He open another door that led to a bathroom. It seemed familiar though. I looked around. "Is this your bathroom, Jasper?" He nodded, "It's ours now; it's shared by both bedrooms. I thought you'd be using it much more than I would, so we made some changes for you." "It looks great! Oh good; yall left the shower alone. I loved that shower." They had painted the walls purple and added a vanity for me. They had also put in double sinks and tinted the large window over the tub for privacy. I loved it. Everything was perfect. "It's perfect Jasper. Everything is perfect." "Knock it off you guys and get back down here! Carlisle's not finished with the meeting!" Emmett's booming voice echoed through the house. I rolled my eyes and headed down to the dining room, Jasper right besides me. "Finally! God you guys were taking forever," complained Emmett. "So what's her story gonna be anyways? I don't want people thinking we got something kinky going on here." "Emmett!" exclaimed Esme, "We already have a story for Danielle." "When are you going to tell her she has to give up her car?" "What?" I asked. I loved my car! I wasn't giving it up without a fight.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **Another story alert and another favorite! Thanks so much you guys! Don't forget to check out the link on my profile if you'd like to see the furniture Danielle picked out

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER TWENTY**

**(JPOV)**

We started painting right away, because we still had to work at human speed and wait for the paint to dry. And since the walls were going to be a dark purple, it took more than one coat. Danielle's new bedroom also shared the bathroom that was attached to my room. I knew she would use it much more than I would, so Esme and I worked on making it more Danielle-friendly. We took out the two pedestal sinks and put in a cabinet, with two sinks and a vanity with a little stool for Danielle. The walls were painted a light purple and we installed frosted glass in the window above the tub and installed new frosted glass around the shower. My brothers put down the new carpet in the bedroom and carried the furniture up from the living room. Esme decided where all the furniture should go and we moved the furniture for her. She had also ordered a closet full of clothes for Danielle, so Carlisle and I spent quite a bit of time putting clothes on hangers and organizing her closet. It only took us Wednesday and Thursday to get everything ready in her room and bathroom, so we went on a mini-hunting trip Friday. Carlisle had me help him bag up some animal blood for Danielle; he explained how she only needed a small amount of blood and thought killing an animal would be a waste. We got back to the house early Saturday morning. Carlisle noticed how anxious I was and played a couple games of chess with me. Esme suggested I do a final once-over Danielle's room and if I saw anything, to let her know. I did, but it was perfect. Esme had done a great job. Well, Danielle had too apparently; Esme said she picked out most of the furniture. The contrast with the dark purple walls and the white furniture was quite striking. It was feminine, but I decided I could share the room with her, if she'd let me. I heard Edward chuckle from his room. I ignored him. I thought about how her body had felt when I held her in her sleep and sent a wave of lust his way. "Knock it off Jazz!"

Finally, I heard her car coming down the road. I ran outside so I could meet her. As she got closer, I could also hear the music she was playing in her car. It was some rap song that was very popular on the radio, but I didn't much care for it. Danielle seemed to enjoy it very much though; she was dancing while she was driving and completely wrapped up in the song. I stood there, watching her for 47 seconds before she noticed me. By then, I was laughing, which caused everyone in the house to come outside and they started laughing too. She glared at me. "Uh-oh," I thought, and everyone else went back inside. Danielle looked like she was thinking about leaving, so I squatted down next to her window and gave her the most pathetic look ever. She sighed, and got out of the car. "I'm sorry Danielle. I was watching you for almost a minute before you noticed me; I thought it was funny how involved you were with the music; I wasn't laughing at your dancing or anything like that." She nodded at me, and then looked towards the house. "Would you like to go for a walk?" she asked. I smiled, "Of course," and offered her my arm like a gentleman. She giggled, and we started walking towards the woods. We talked about what she had done the rest of the week and her little rent house in Port Angeles. She told me I'd have to come visit her sometime. I just smiled.

After walking through the woods for about an hour, Danielle decided she was ready to go back at the house. As we approached the front door, I told her that Carlisle wanted to have a family meeting and wanted her to be included. When we walked in, everyone was already seated around the dining room table, with two empty chairs for her and me. We sat down and Danielle looked at Carlisle questioningly. He smiled slightly at her. "Don't be alarmed, Danielle. You're not in trouble or anything." She grinned back at him. "As you know, Danielle, we've only lived here for about a month. My sons will be starting school at Forks High School in 3 weeks. Since you're around my family, I wanted you to know our cover story." She nodded. So far she didn't seem to suspect anything. "Esme and I have married for a few years. We found out we couldn't have children and adopted Emmett. Then we adopted Edward and Jasper who are brothers. Emmett and Jasper are sophomores and Edward is a freshman this year." He paused, looking at Esme. She spoke up, "I'm afraid I wasn't completely honest with you last week, Danielle. I had you pick out furniture for your own bedroom. We would like for you to join our family." She smiled at Danielle. Danielle just sat there, wide-eyed. I could almost see her brain working, thinking of all the pros and cons. Esme continued, "You don't have to make a decision today. We would need to know soon though, so we could have appropriate paperwork drawn up and set up a cover story for you as well." Danielle nodded, still a bit dazed. "Jasper? Why don't you show Danielle what we've been working on the past few days," said Esme. "We weren't really camping," said Emmett from across the table. I led Danielle upstairs to the bedroom next to mine. I smiled at her, "I hope you like it," and opened the door.

She gasped and walked around, wide-eyed, taking everything in. We really had done a great job on the room. I was glad she liked it. Then I remembered the closet. "Look at this," I said as I opened the closest door. She walked over and her jaw dropped. Oh good, she liked it. She picked up a pair of lime green Docs and smiled. "Did you do all this?" "My family and I did this for you these last couple days. We want you to feel welcome in our family. You could join on like a trial basis you know. If it doesn't work out, you could leave." She nodded. Oh no, she doesn't want to join our family. Why would she? Now she has freedom and a car and doesn't have to go to high school. I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up; of course she wouldn't want to give up her freedom. Danielle's voice brought me out of my funk, "I think I'll stay here Jasper." I looked at her, "Really?" She nodded and smiled. My face broke out into a huge grin and I picked her up and hugged her close. She giggled and hugged me back. I realized what I was doing and set her down, embarrassed. "Sorry about that. I'm just really glad you're staying." Then I realized she hadn't seen the bathroom yet. I opened the door that led to the bathroom, "Check this out." She looked around. "Is this your bathroom, Jasper?" I nodded, "It's ours now; it's shared by both bedrooms. I thought you'd be using it much more than I would, so we made some changes for you." "It looks great! Oh good; yall left the shower alone. I love that shower." She looked around noticing all the changes we made. "It's perfect Jasper. Everything is perfect." "Knock it off you guys and get back down here! Carlisle's not finished with the meeting!" Emmett's booming voice echoed through the house. Danielle rolled her eyes and headed down to the dining room, with me right beside her. "Finally! God you guys were taking forever," complained Emmett. "So what's her story gonna be anyways? I don't want people thinking we got something kinky going on here." "Emmett!" exclaimed Esme, "We already have a story for Danielle." "When are you going to tell her she has to give up her car?" "What?" she asked, as she popped her hip out and crossed her arms over her chest. Uh oh. This wasn't going to be good.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N:** Two more favorites, two more reviews and one more alert! Thanks! I messed with the spacing, let me know if it makes it easier to read or not.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER TWENTYONE**

**(DPOV)**

I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at Emmett. "Why do I have to give up my car? I love my car; I bought it as a high school graduation present to myself and just paid it off. I'm not giving it up."

Carlisle looked at Emmett and sighed. Edward smirked and Jasper stayed by my side. Esme motioned to the empty chairs, so Jasper and I sat down. "We had hoped to approach this a little bit differently, Danielle. As a member of our family, you would be attending high school with my sons. You would be either a freshman or a sophomore, but therefore would be too young to drive. You would have to give up your car temporary, until you were a junior in a high school." "So just a year or two?" Carlisle and Esme nodded, "Yes. But you wouldn't be able to drive it at all during that time; we wouldn't want you to be seen driving by someone from Forks."

I sighed. "Couldn't I get a hardship license or something?" The boys chuckled. "I'll take that as a no. Alright, fine. But I'm not getting rid of my car; it can stay in the garage until I get my license. Again." Jasper patted my leg under the table. I just looked at Emmett, daring him to say something, but he kept his mouth shut.

"Okay then. So you've decided to join our family, correct Danielle?" asked Carlisle.

"Yes. You mentioned a cover story?"

Esme spoke up, "We've learned it's best to keep some truth in our stories. You're an orphan; your mother died during childbirth and you don't know who your dad is, because your mom was attacked. You were raised by your mom's sister and her husband, but they recently separated. You felt you were being a burden to your aunt during her separation, so you came to live with me, your mother's cousin. Sound good?"

"Yes, that's a great cover. Do I get to keep my name?"

"This time, yes. You'll have to change it the next time we move. And you have the birthday, just a different year. You'd like to be a sophomore, right? You'd be able to drive sooner."

"Actually, I think I want to be a freshman. I've only been to high school once before, so I'd like to experience it from the beginning." Esme nodded. "Plus, then Edward won't be all by himself," I looked at him and smiled. He looked like he wanted to roll his eyes, but he just gave me a polite smile instead.

"When then that's settled," announced Carlisle. "You are Danielle Kelley and you just moved here from Texas. You're a freshman in high school and your birthday is January 14, 1989."

"So when are you going to move in?" asked Emmett.

"I'm renting a house on a month-by-month basis, so I could give my two weeks notice and move out."

"Or you could move out tomorrow," whispered Jasper. I giggled, knowing everyone could hear him. "Or I could move out tomorrow," I announced to the table. "Gee, does anyone know where I could find some strong men to help me pack up and move?" The boys laughed. "I bet we can find some, Danielle," said Edward.

Suddenly, my stomach growled. "Oh, I'm sorry Danielle. I'm still not used to you eating. Let me make something for you for lunch."

"It's okay, Esme; I'll just have leftover pizza." We got up and went to the kitchen, while the boys watched TV in the living room. I nuked the pizza and ate it at the bar. Esme joined me. "I'm very happy you decided to join our family," she said. "Jasper and Emmett are much happier with you around and Edward likes you too. I think you two being in the same grade will really help. I can see you being very good friends."

"I hope so. Oh! I forgot to thank everyone for my bedroom. Yall did a great job on it; it's perfect."

"You're very welcome," said Esme as she hugged me, "I'm so glad you like it. Would you like to go check it out again? There are some things I'd like to point out to you."

"Sure! That'd be great, Esme." We went up to my new bedroom. She told me how the whole family had helped her and how she and Jasper had redone the bathroom for me. I told her I didn't have much at my house, but I did leave a lot of belongings in Texas and would like to get those. We talked about shipping them up here. She also asked if I needed to go shopping for school clothes! I laughed. "Have you seen my closest, Esme? I think I'm set for the year!" She smiled, but told me to make sure I told her if I needed anything; I was part of this family now and would be treated as such.

"Well, I'm taking the boys school shopping Tuesday in Seattle, and I'd like for you to go with us." I agreed; I could tell Esme was excited to have another female around the house and I was excited to have a family more like myself. I gave Esme a big hug and told her thank you for everything. Her face lit up and she returned my hug eagerly. I layed down on the bed, looking around my room, when there was a knock on my door. "Come in," I answered. Jasper peered his head around the door and smiled at me. I smiled back. He came in the room and Esme excused herself, leaving us alone. I really liked her.

"So," said Jasper as he sat down on my bed, "I was wondering if you'd like to go to the movies tonight with me. We could go see Pirates of the Caribbean, if you haven't seen it yet."

I smiled, "I'd like that, Jasper, but I thought you couldn't drive. How will we get there?"

"I have my learner's permit and Carlisle's permission to take the Mercedes. My brother's will be going with us, though, but they promised to leave us alone."

I giggled. "Awesome. What time?"

"The movie starts at 7:30, so we'll leave a bit before then." He smiled, "You really like your room, huh?"

"I love it."


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** Another favorite! Thank you!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER TWENTYTWO**

**(JPOV)**

Esme was able to calm Danielle down about giving up her car, explaining why she had to. Danielle surprised me by saying she wanted to be a freshman and not a sophomore. I wasn't too worried about not seeing her, as Forks High School was small and our classes would overlap. I was surprised though that she mentioned being a freshman so Edward wasn't alone; it was actually kind of sweet of her. Edward and I were close, but I thought Danielle could help bring him out of his shell some. They went over her cover story, only changing a few details of her life. Emmett spoke up, "So when are you going to move in?"

"I'm renting a house on a month-by-month basis, so I could give my two weeks notice and move out."

"Or you could move out tomorrow," I whispered, knowing everyone could hear me.

She giggled. "Or I could move out tomorrow," she announced to the table. "Gee, does anyone know where I could find some strong men to help me pack up and move?" My brothers and I laughed. "I bet we can find some, Danielle," said Edward.

Suddenly, Danielle's stomach growled. "Oh, I'm sorry Danielle. I'm still not used to you eating. Let me make something for you for lunch."

"It's okay, Esme; I'll just have leftover pizza." They got up and went to the kitchen, while my brothers and I went in the living room to watch TV. I couldn't help but overhear Esme and Danielle talking in the kitchen. I didn't need my gift to know how happy Esme was with Danielle around; it must've been hard being the only female in the house for the last 80 or so years. I wasn't much attention to the TV, but I did see an advertisement for a new movie, Pirates of the Caribbean. It looked kind of cool, and I wondered if Danielle would like to see it. I normally didn't go to the movies, but I knew that was the standard date for most teenagers. Edward nodded at me. I went to Carlisle's study to ask him about it. I knocked on his door. "Come in."

"I was wondering if I could borrow your car tonight; I'm thinking about asking Danielle to go see a movie with me." He didn't say anything, so I continued, "I thought we'd go see Pirates of the Caribbean. It's been out for a few weeks, so the theatre shouldn't be full and I just went hunting yesterday. Edward and Emmett can go with us, if that would make you feel better."

He nodded. "Yes, they need to go too. And yes, you can borrow the car. Make sure Danielle gets something to eat and be back at a decent hour so she can get some sleep. We're probably going to pack up and move her stuff tomorrow; make sure she's okay with that." He smiled at me, "And have fun. It looks like a good movie." I smiled back at him and headed up to Danielle's room. Danielle's room. I liked that. A lot. I knocked on the door. "Come in," she answered. I peered my head around the door and smiled at her; she was lying on her new bed. She smiled back. I went into the room and Esme excused herself, leaving us alone. I'd have to thank her for that later.

"So," I said as I sat down on Danielle's bed, "I was wondering if you'd like to go to the movies tonight with me. We could go see Pirates of the Caribbean, if you haven't seen it yet." She smiled at me, "I'd like that, Jasper, but I thought you couldn't drive. How will we get there?"

"I have my learner's permit and Carlisle's permission to take the Mercedes. My brother's will be going with us, though, but they promised to leave us alone."

"Awesome. What time?"

"The movie starts at 7:30, so we'll leave a bit before then." I smiled, "You really like your room, huh?"

"I love it," she said as she looked around the room again. "It's just perfect. Yall did a better job than I ever could. And so quickly too! I was only gone three days and you did all this," she gestured around the room. "I need to take pictures so I can email them to Kris. Growing up, I always wanted to paint my room purple, but my aunt and uncle rented their house so I couldn't paint the walls. When I left, I told him one day I would have a purple bedroom and now I have one," she smiled at me. "So thank you; this means more to me than you know."

I placed my hand on top of hers and patted it, "You're welcome, Danielle. I'm glad you like it so much."

"We're going to the movies tonight? Sweet!" came Emmett's voice from the living room. I rolled my eyes. "Wanna play some video games before we go, or do you need to get ready?"

"I don't need to start getting ready yet. Do you have anything besides Xbox? I'm not very good at that."

I chuckled, "What would you like to play? We have every video game since the Atari."

She grinned, "Tetris on SuperNES." Emmett groaned; he hated that game. We headed down the living room and started playing; Danielle beat Emmett and me, but she and Edward were neck-and-neck. She eventually beat him though, because he was moving faster than the controller could recognize and it made him mess up. She did a little dance when she won; it was adorable and incredibly sexy. Then she looked at the clock. "Oh! I need to go get ready," and she rushed up the stairs. I wasn't sure what I should do; was she going to change clothes? Did I need to change clothes? This might be our first date. Oh crap, she didn't eat dinner. "Esme? Can you help me make something for Danielle for dinner real quick?" She helped me cook up some chicken in a skillet and showed me how to peel potatoes. I made mashed potatoes, while she put together a salad. "Danielle? Dinner's ready," called Esme. I ran upstairs to change into something a little nicer, but not too nice incase she didn't dress up. Luckily, Edward saved me. He came in a slipped me a note, "Nice black top. Dark wide-leg jeans. Boots. Makeup. Jewelry." I read and nodded at him, "Thank you." "No problem." I changed into blue and white striped button-down shirt with distressed jeans and black boots and went down the kitchen. Danielle wasn't there. I listened; she was in the bathroom brushing her teeth. I stood at the bar and waited for her to come down the stairs. As she walked down, she took my breath away.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Three more favorites and one more review! Here's their first date, and it's starting to get good! ;)**

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER TWENTYTHREE**

**(DPOV)**

He smiled, "You really like your room, huh?"

"I love it. It's just perfect. Yall did a better job than I ever could. And so quickly too! I was only gone three days and you did all this," I gestured around the room. "I need to take pictures so I can email them to Kris. Growing up, I always wanted to paint my room purple, but my aunt and uncle rented their house so I couldn't paint the walls. When I left, I told him one day I would have a purple bedroom and now I have one," I smiled at Jasper. "So thank you; this means more to me than you know."

He placed his hand on top of mine and patted it, "You're welcome, Danielle. I'm glad you like it so much."

"We're going to the movies tonight? Sweet!" came Emmett's voice from the living room. I rolled my eyes. "Wanna play some video games before we go, or do you need to get ready?"

"I don't need to start getting ready yet. Do you have anything besides Xbox? I'm not very good at that."

He chuckled, "What would you like to play? We have every video game since the Atari."  
I grinned, "Tetris on SuperNES." Emmett groaned. We headed down the living room and started playing; I beat Emmett and Jasper, but was neck-and-neck with Edward. He didn't seem used to the competition, so he speed up, but that messed up the controller and I won. I did a little happy dance in celebration of my victories. Then I looked at the clock. "Oh! I need to go get ready," and I rushed up the stairs to my new bedroom. I wasn't sure what to wear; was he going to change clothes too? Did I need to change clothes? This might be our first date. Ah! Our first date! _"It's just the movies, Danielle," _I thought to myself. So pants, not a skirt. Jeans. There were like 20 pairs in my closest. I sighed; this was going to be harder than I thought. I went through everything in my new closet twice, before narrowing down to a couple choices. I finally decided on an outfit, got dressed and put on some mascara and a touch of lip-gloss. I also checked out the new jewelry armoire in the closest and put on a black Gothic choker and matching earrings. I twirled around in the mirror. Perfect. I looked like I tried to look good, but didn't try too hard.

"Danielle? Dinner's ready," called Esme. Oh right; I should eat before we go. I ran downstairs, hoping to see Jasper, but he and Edward weren't there. Esme had sat a plate of chicken and mashed potatoes with a side salad on the bar for me. "Thank you Esme; this looks delicious." "You're welcome dear. Jasper helped me," she smiled at me, then lowered her voice, "He's upstairs getting ready." I smiled back at her. I finished eating and rushed upstairs to brush my teeth. I reapplied my lip-gloss, grabbed my brand-new, not-available-in-stores L.A.M.B. purse and headed down the stairs.

I walked down the stairs at human speed, afraid I'd miss a step because I was so nervous. I was playing so much attention to my feet and the stairs, that I didn't notice Jasper was standing at the bottom, waiting for me. I looked up at him; his mouth was agape and he was staring at me. I blushed and smiled shyly at him. "I like your shirt; you look handsome." And he did. He was wearing a blue and white striped button-down shirt with distressed jeans and black boots and it looked like he had tried to fix his hair. I thought that was sweet. My voice seemed to bring him back to life, "Thank you Danielle. You look beautiful yourself. That blouse is... stunning." I grinned at him, thankful Emmett and Edward weren't here to witness this exchange; it was bad enough Esme and Carlisle were there, smiling knowingly.

"You better get going. Have a good time tonight," said Esme. "And be home at a decent hour, Jasper; Danielle has to sleep," Carlisle reminded Jasper. We smiled and nodded and headed out to the Mercedes, where Emmett and Edward were waiting for us. Jasper opened the front passenger door for me, waited for me to get settled in, closed it and appeared in the driver's seat. The boys smirked at me when I put on my seatbelt. "Yall should wear them too; it's against the law not to. What if we get pulled over?" That just made them laugh, "We don't have to worry about getting pulled over, Danielle. We go fast and Edward can read there minds. It's all good," said Emmett. I noticed that Jasper had his put on. I smiled at him and rested my hand on top of his on the center console. He smiled back at me.

I was so wrapped up in Jasper and my nerves to notice where we were going. I looked out the window though and gasped in alarm. "Oh my God! How fast are we going?" "Don't worry; Jasper's got it under control," answered Edward from the backseat. I craned my neck to see the speed, and Jasper slowed down a tad for me. I reminded myself that he had been driving since cars were invented and it was okay. With the speeding, we arrived quickly at the Lincoln Theatre in Port Angeles. I really liked this theatre; it was about 80 years old and had a lot of character. I told this to Jasper, while he bought us tickets. We went inside, got a drink and Skittles for me and headed to the theatre. The theatre wasn't very crowded, since the movie had been out a few weeks. We sat on the back row, in the middle, while Emmett and Edward sat pretty close to the front.

The movie was great; I got pretty caught up in it. Of course, that could be because of Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. Jasper seemed to be enjoying the movie, but he was fidgeting some. I had my arm on the armrest between our seats and about an hour and a half into the movie, Jasper reached his arm over and held my hand. I smiled and glanced over at him out of the corner of my eye; he was smiling too. I giggled, and his smile got wider. Emmett turned around and looked at us and rolled his eyes. I threw a Skittle at him with my free hand. I was pretty sure he hadn't felt it, but it made me feel better. I turned my focus back to the movie and the feeling of Jasper's hand on mine. The movie ended too soon, as Jasper let go of hand when we got up to leave. Emmett really liked the movie; he talked about the explosions and Keira Knightly's boobs quite a bit. Edward thought the plot was weak and historically inaccurate and pointed out to Emmett that Keira had some costuming help and that wasn't her natural look. I piped up and agreed with Edward, bringing up how she looked in "Bend It Like Beckham." We reached the car and Jasper again opened the door for me, but this time at human-speed. He stopped and got me ice cream before we headed back to Forks.

When we reached the house, Emmett and Edward rushed into the house, leaving Jasper and me in the car alone. I looked down at my lap, unsure of how to proceed. HE came around and opened my door for me and took my hand in his as I got out. We stood in front of the car holding hands for a while before I could get my voice to work. "I had a great time tonight, Jasper. Thank you for taking me to the movies." He smiled down at me, "Trust me, the pleasure is all mine Danielle." Then he leaned down and kissed me.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N:** Three more favorites, two more story alerts and two more reviews!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! _He finally kissed her!_ On with the good stuff! And this is my longest chapter yet! Enjoy :)  
(Oh - I'm not able to upload any chapters. I emailed site support, but it might take a while to get it resolved. Hope this holds yall over for a while!)

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER TWENTYFOUR**

**(JPOV)**

I stood at the bar and waited for her to come down the stairs. As she walked down, she took my breath away. I just stood there, still as a statue, and took in her appearance, committing every detail to memory. She looked like a goddess. She had changed into a black top, with a wide, scoop neckline. It was black satin with a sheer black overlay on it and had a little lace up, corset detail under her bust. The top flared out and covered the top of her dark, wide-leg jeans, which made her legs look very long. I saw the toe of her combat boots sticking out from the bottom of the jeans. She had put on some makeup, which just made her look more beautiful, and a black, beaded Gothic choker and earrings. I just stood there, looking at her, in awe.

"I like your shirt; you look handsome," said Danielle, as she blushed slightly.

"Thank you Danielle. You look beautiful yourself. That blouse is... stunning." God, what an understatement. That neckline was making me think some inappropriate things.

We stood there for a few more moments before Esme spoke up, "You better get going. Have a good time tonight."

"And be home at a decent hour, Jasper; Danielle has to sleep," Carlisle reminded me. We smiled and nodded and headed out to the Mercedes, where Emmett and Edward were waiting for us. I opened the front passenger door for Danielle, waited for her to get settled in, closed it and got in the driver's seat. She put on her seatbelt and Edward smirked at her. "Yall should wear them too; it's against the law not to. What if we get pulled over?"

We all laughed and Emmett answered her, "We don't have to worry about getting pulled over, Danielle. We go fast and Edward can read there minds. It's all good." It seemed to be important to her though, so I put on my seatbelt too. She smiled at me and rested her hand on top of mine on the center console. I smiled back at her.

I was driving to Port Angeles like I normally do, and Danielle didn't say anything for a few minutes. Suddenly, she looked out the window though and gasped in alarm. "Oh my God! How fast are we going?"

"Don't worry; Jasper's got it under control," answered Edward from the backseat. She craned her neck to see the speed, so I slowed down a tad for her. She sat back in the seat and calmed down; I squeezed her hand reassuringly. With my driving, we arrived quickly at the Lincoln Theatre in Port Angeles. I parked the car, opened the door for Danielle, and helped her out of the car. Emmett and Edward went on ahead; they agreed to try to ignore us. As I bought tickets for Danielle and me, she mentioned how much she liked this theatre, with it being older and having character. We went inside, got her a drink and Skittles and headed to the theatre. The theatre wasn't very crowded, since the movie had been out a few weeks. I let Danielle pick out where to sit; she decided on the back row, in the middle, while Emmett and Edward sat pretty close to the front.

I didn't pay much attention to the movie; I could tell Emmett was enjoying Keira Knightly though; she didn't do it for me. Danielle seemed really into the movie, but that could've just been because of Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom; I knew they were popular actors. I spent the entire first hour thinking about whether or not to hold her hand. I finally decided I would, and spent the next 35 minutes waiting for her to place her hand so I could reach it. Finally, she took a drink of her soda, and left her arm on the armrest. I reached my hand over and gently took hers, still unsure of how she'd react. She smiled and glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, so I smiled back at her. She giggled, which caused Emmett to turn around and look at us. He noticed our joined hands and rolled his eyes. Danielle glared and threw a Skittle at him. I just grinned; her hand was so soft and warm. Suddenly, the movie was over and I had to let go of Danielle's hand. We left the theatre, with Emmett, Edward and Danielle talking about the movie. Well, Danielle and Edward talked about the movie; Emmett just talked about the actress's chest. I opened Danielle's door for her when we reached the car, and I stopped and bought her ice cream, before we headed back to Forks.

When we reached the house, Emmett and Edward rushed into the house, leaving Danielle and me in the car alone. I went around and opened the door for her and took her hand in mine as she got out. We stood in front of the car holding hands for a while before Danielle spoke up, "I had a great time tonight, Jasper. Thank you for taking me to the movies." I smiled down at her, "Trust me, the pleasure is all mine Danielle." Then I leaned down and kissed her. Her lips were so soft and smooth and warm. I heard her heartbeat increase like crazy, so I pulled back to make sure she was okay. She dropped my hand, put her arms around my neck and pulled me down to kiss her again. My arms slipped around her waist, pulling her close and we continued kissing. I knew at that moment I had found my mate and I would move heaven and hell for her. Her heartbeat and breathing were still very erratic though, so I ended the kissing and held her close to me. She snuggled into my chest and breathed in my scent. I heard her mumble, "Wow" which made me smile and chuckle a bit. She looked up at me and I was again amazed; her cheeks were flushed, her lips were swollen and she had the happiest, most serene look on her face. It just made me love her even more. I kissed the top of her head. "We should head inside before my brothers check on us." She nodded, and we walked into the house, hand-in-hand.

Emmett was playing video games and Edward was playing the piano; both didn't even acknowledge us as we walked in. Apparently, my brothers decided to be nice to Danielle, probably because she was new to the family and they didn't want my wrath. I knew however, they would make sure to tease me later. I saw Edward nod out of the corner of my eye. _"Thank you for sparing her the humiliation,"_ I thought to Edward. He just smirked. I could hear Esme upstairs and Carlisle in his study. It was only about 11PM, still a little early for Danielle to sleep. I asked her is she was hungry, which she wasn't but she was thirsty. We went in the kitchen and I got her a soda, joining her at the bar. Esme took that as her cue to come join us. "Did you have a good time tonight?" I grinned and Danielle nodded. "Was the movie good?"

Danielle spoke up, "It was awesome! Johnny Depp makes a great pirate! Yall should go see it."

"We'll wait until it comes out on DVD probably. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Do you need anything to eat?"

Danielle shook her head, "No, I'm fine. Thanks."

Carlisle came into the kitchen too. Great. "Danielle? Were you serious about moving out of your house tomorrow? I have the day off and would be able to help you move."

"Actually," answered Danielle, "I was serious about the moving, but the house I rent is furnished, so there isn't much to move. When I moved here, I had to fit everything in my car, so there are just some suitcases and a few boxes. I did buy some stuff when I moved here, but not much. There is some food there though."

"Do you think everything would fit in your car and the Mercedes?"

She nodded, "Definitely. I'll need a cooler though for the food in the fridge. Do yall have one?"

"We do," answered Carlisle, "So let's plan on Jasper, you and me moving you out of your house tomorrow. Is that okay?" We both nodded.

Esme spoke up, "And Monday Danielle, we'll go grocery shopping and you can show me everything you like. It'll also get the people here used to you; we can start spreading your story around before school starts."

"That's a great idea," I said; I knew what it was like when we started at a new school and I didn't think Danielle was going to like it.


	25. Chapter 25

**I'm finally able to upload chapters! Here's a new one!**

**A/N:** Wow! SIX more favorites, one more story alert and one more review! Thank you so much! It's so nice to know people are reading this story. As I said before, this is my first attempt at writing fanfiction and the support and feedback I'm getting from you guys is great! Rock on!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER TWENTYFIVE**

**(DPOV)**

Then he leaned down and kissed me. His lips were soft and his breath smelled so sweet. And the kiss was perfect! Sweet and soft and over! What? He pulled away! His kisses were intoxicating and I wanted more. I let go of his hand, put my arms around his neck and pulled him down to kiss me again. His arms slipped around my waist, pulling me close to him and we continued kissing. I felt all sorts of emotions swirling through me and I knew at that moment Jasper was the one for me. He slowed our kissing down, eventually stopping and held me close to him. I snuggled into his chest and breathed in his scent; God he smelt good. I head him chuckle a bit. I looked up at him and he looked in awe and kissed the top of my head. "We should head inside before my brothers check on us." I nodded, and we walked into the house, hand-in-hand.

Emmett was playing video games and Edward was playing the piano; both didn't even acknowledge us as we walked in. I looked at the clock; it was only 11PM, which was still a little early for me to sleep. Jasper asked if I was hungry, but I wasn't, just thirsty. We went in the kitchen and he got me a soda and joined me at the bar.

Esme walked in, "Did you have a good time tonight?" I nodded and Jasper grinned. "Was the movie good?"

I answered, "It was awesome! Johnny Depp makes a great pirate! Yall should go see it."

"We'll wait until it comes out on DVD probably. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Do you need anything to eat?"

I shook my head, "No, I'm fine. Thanks."

Carlisle came into the kitchen too. "Danielle? Were you serious about moving out of your house tomorrow? I have the day off and would be able to help you move."

"Actually," I said, "I was serious about the moving, but the house I rent is furnished, so there isn't much to move. When I moved here, I had to fit everything in my car, so there are just some suitcases and a few boxes. I did buy some stuff when I moved here, but not much. There is some food there though."

"Do you think everything would fit in your car and the Mercedes?"

I nodded, "Definitely. I'll need a cooler though for the food in the fridge. Do yall have one?"

"We do," answered Carlisle, "So let's plan on Jasper, you and me moving you out of your house tomorrow. Is that okay?" We both nodded.

Esme spoke up, "And Monday Danielle, we'll go grocery shopping and you can show me everything you like. It'll also get the people here used to you; we can start spreading your story around before school starts."

"That's a great idea," Jasper said. I looked at him, confused. "Well," he started, "you look more human than we do. When we start at a new school it can be… difficult the first week until everyone gets used to us being there. Humans subconsciously know we're dangerous and stay away from us. And our looks and money don't help any; the kids think we're all stuck up."

I looked at him, worried. "Do you think they'll like me? Will I make any friends?"

"Of course you will, dear," Esme said as she hugged me. "Didn't you have friends at your old high school?" I nodded. "See? You'll fit in just fine here. I have a feeling you'll be good for my sons; make them interact a little bit more in school," she looked at Jasper, pointedly.

I smiled, then yawned. "Well, I guess I should start winding down. Esme? Did you get me any pajamas?"

"I sure did; they're in the large dresser."

I smiled, "Thank you. I'm going to go get ready for bed." I headed up the stairs to my new room.

I still couldn't believe this was my room. I went over to the large dresser and started opening drawers; the three drawers on top were filled with fancy lingerie in my size! I squealed and kept digging through the drawers. The three drawers in the middle were filled with pajamas. I found an adorable satin set and took it into the bathroom with me. I put my hair up in a ponytail and took a quick shower. I put on my new pajamas and brushed my teeth. I went back in my room and looked around for something to read. I realized there weren't any books or magazines in my room. I left my room and went to Jasper's door and knocked. "Come in," he answered.

He stood up as I entered his room. "Um, I wanted to read some before I went to sleep, but there aren't any books in my room. Could I borrow some from you?"

"Of course," he walked over a huge bookcase and looked at it for a moment. "Well, I'm not sure if I have anything that would interest you, Danielle. I mostly just have Civil War books, which probably don't count as light reading."

I smiled at him, "Yeah, not exactly what I had in mind. Thanks anyway," I said as I turned to leave.

"Wait! I bet Esme has some architecture books in the library. Let me show you." He led me to the door next to Carlisle's office and opened the door. I gasped; he really did mean a library. The room was huge and covered floor to ceiling with books. I walked around the room with my mouth open. I could smell that some of the books were very old. Jasper just watched me walk around the room for a while before he directed me to Esme's books. I grabbed a Michelangelo book, while Jasper selected an Eastern philosophy book and we headed back to my room. I invited him in and we both laid on our stomachs on my bed, reading. I took my time reading, committing everything to memory and found myself nodding off a bit. I sighed and apologized to Jasper, "I'm sorry Jasper, I'm falling asleep."

"Don't apologize for sleeping, Danielle." He took the book from me, marked the page I was on and sat it on the nightstand. I snuggled under the covers and he kissed me on my forehead. "Goodnight, Danielle. Sweet dreams."

I smiled, "Goodnight Jasper. Thank you for a great day." He smiled at me and left my room, closing the door behind him.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N:** Two more reviews and one more favorite! Thanks! Glad you guys are enjoying the story!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER TWENTYSIX**

**(JPOV)**

"That's a great idea," I said; I knew what it was like when we started at a new school and I didn't think Danielle was going to like it.

She looked at me, confused. "Well," I started, "you look more human than we do. When we start at a new school it can be… difficult the first week until everyone gets used to us being there. Humans subconsciously know we're dangerous and stay away from us. And our looks and money don't help any; the kids think we're all stuck up," I stopped, because she looked at me, sadly. "Do you think they'll like me? Will I make any friends?"

"Of course you will, dear," Esme said as she hugged her. "Didn't you have friends at your old high school?" She nodded. "See? You'll fit in just fine here. I have a feeling you'll be good for my sons; make them interact a little bit more in school," she looked at me, pointedly.

Danielle smiled, then yawned. "Well, I guess I should start winding down. Esme? Did you get me any pajamas?"

"I sure did; they're in the large dresser."

She smiled, "Thank you. I'm going to go get ready for bed." She headed upstairs to her room. After a few minutes we heard the shower start.

Esme came over and hugged me, the happiness radiating from her. "So…" she said, looking at me expectantly, "It seems the date was a success." I nodded and grinned, projecting my happiness back at her. She hugged me again. "I'm so happy for you Jazz. You deserve to be happy." She left, probably to tell Carlisle the good news.

I went into the living room; Emmett was watching TV and Edward was reading a book. He raised an eyebrow at me and smirked; he knew that I didn't know what to do while Danielle was getting ready for bed. I also wasn't sure if she'd want me to sleep with her; I wasn't sure she knew I had the first night she stayed her. If I didn't stay with her then I'd have like 4 hours I'd have to fill. Edward rolled his eyes at me and went back to his book. _"At least I'm not all 'emo' like you,"_ I thought to him. He snarled at me; Emmett constantly referred to us as being 'emo'. Now he'd only be able to make fun of Edward. Well, at least about being emo.

I heard the shower shut off and I went up to my room to read while Danielle finished getting ready. I was reading another Civil War book that was full of inaccuracies when I heard Danielle leave her room. She paused in front my door before knocking. "Come in," I answered, and stood up as she entered the room. She was wearing a pair of satin pajamas that were light blue with clouds on them and black Chinese characters. The top had a Mandarin collar with frog closures. She had her hair pulled back in a ponytail and she was barefoot and her toenail polish was bright blue. She looked adorable. "Um, I wanted to read some before I went to sleep, but there aren't any books in my room. Could I borrow some from you?"

"Of course," I said as I walked over a huge bookcase and looked at it for a moment. "Well, I'm not sure if I have anything that would interest you, Danielle. I mostly just have Civil War books, which probably don't count as light reading."

She smiled at me, "Yeah, not exactly what I had in mind. Thanks anyway," she said as she turned to leave.

"Wait!" I called after her, "I bet Esme has some architecture books in the library. Let me show you." I led her to the door next to Carlisle's office and opened the door. She gasped and walked around the room with her mouth open. I watched her take it all in and smiled at how she couldn't seem to believe we had so many books. She kept wondering, so I directed her to Esme's books. She grabbed a Michelangelo book, while I selected an Eastern philosophy book and we headed back to her room. She invited me in and we both laid on our stomachs on her bed, reading. I wasn't really reading, mostly just enjoying being in her presence. A couple times though, her breathing slowed down and I realized she was falling asleep. I didn't want to say anything, since that would be the end of my night with her. She caught herself falling asleep though and sighed. "I'm sorry Jasper, I'm falling asleep."

"Don't apologize for sleeping, Danielle." I took the book from her, marked the page she was on and sat it on the nightstand, while she snuggled under the covers. I leaned over her and kissed her on her forehead. "Goodnight, Danielle. Sweet dreams."

She smiled, "Goodnight Jasper. Thank you for a great day." I smiled left her room, closing the door behind me.

I went back to my room and listened to her breathing and heartbeat even out. Then, I went down to Carlisle's study. He smiled warmly at me as I walked in. "Esme told me you had a nice night, Jasper," he said quietly.

I nodded, "Yes, the date went very well, Carlisle. She feels the same way about me," I smiled and he smiled back.

"Jasper," he began, "You know I didn't have any sisters, or a mother when I was human, and Esme has been my only female companion." I nodded, unsure of what he was getting at. "I like to think I'm a good father to you and your brothers, but now there is a young lady in my house as well, a daughter if you will." I nodded again. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "I guess what I'm trying to say is be careful, Jasper. You may physically be 20, but we both know you're much older than that. But Danielle is actually 19. Given her unusual growing and childhood, I would guess that you are her first boyfriend. Take your time; allow the relationship to progress naturally. As far as I can tell from the tests I've run, Danielle is immortal. You two have eternity. Enjoy it and don't rush it."

"Thank you Carlisle; that's what I needed to hear." He smiled at me as I left his office.

I still had a few hours until Danielle woke up, so I decided to go for a run. I figured Edward would appreciate not having to listen to my thoughts for a while. I took off out the back door and starting running. I returned home about 3 hours later, since I wanted to be there when Danielle woke up. As I approached the house though, I could tell she was still sleeping. Someone had collected some empty boxes and a cooler and had them waiting by the front door. _"Oh right,"_ I thought, _"Carlisle and I are helping her move today."_ I went into the kitchen and Esme was there making a grocery list for her and Danielle's shopping trip.

"Do you think Danielle's getting tired of pancakes?" I asked Esme.

She looked up at me, "I hadn't thought of that. Do you have something else in mind to fix her?"

I shook my head; I didn't know much about human food. I grabbed the cookbook and started thumbing through it. "What about French Toast? That looks sugary." We went through the kitchen and found everything we'd need to make it. Our kitchen was going to see a lot more action with Danielle around. I sat down at the bar and went through the cookbook, before getting on the computer and looking up more recipes online. Eventually, Danielle woke up and went to the bathroom before coming downstairs. "Good morning, Danielle. Did you sleep well?" I asked.

She glared at me and grunted, "Mmm."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N:** Two more reviews and another one more favorite! Thanks! So what's wrong up with Danielle? Is she not a morning person, or is it something else?

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER TWENTYSEVEN**

**(DPOV)**

"Goodnight, Danielle. Sweet dreams."

I smiled, "Goodnight Jasper. Thank you for a great day." He smiled at me and left my room, closing the door behind him. I snuggled under the covers and quickly fell asleep. I had a couple dreams but they didn't make any sense; there were talking wolves and a bunch of teenage guys. I woke up and realized I had slept for an hour longer than I normally did and I was also kind of groggy. I went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth and brushed my hair before putting it back in a ponytail. I could hear Esme and Jasper in the kitchen, so I decided to go downstairs before I took a shower.

"Good morning, Danielle. Did you sleep well?" Jasper asked.

I just looked at him and grunted, "Mmm." God I was so tired. I yawned, plopped down at the bar, and laid my head down.

Esme came over, "Are you okay Danielle?" I just groaned and yawned again.

Carlisle came out from his study and motioned for everyone to leave. They did and we went to his study. I fell into the chair and yawned. "Danielle? Did you drink the blood I gave you?" Wait! That's what was wrong. I shook my head. "That's what I thought. I had Jasper help me bag up some animal blood for you; I'm afraid that's all I have here. Would you like me to get it for you?"

I nodded, "In a cup with a straw please." He nodded and came back the blood like I had asked. I smelled it; it didn't smell _*that*_ bad. I took a quick sip and wrinkled my nose.

Carlisle hid a grin, "It takes some getting used to."

I nodded and quickly slurped the rest down. "Ew. I don't much care for that." I stretched. "But I do feel better. Thank you, Carlisle."

"You're welcome Danielle. If you're hungry, I think Jasper and Esme were going to make you French toast."

"Sweet! I love French toast!" I headed back into the kitchen.

Esme and Jasper were hard at work making French toast. I sat down at the bar and watched them.

Esme looked up at me, "Are you feeling better now?"

I nodded, "Yes. I'm sorry for how I acted earlier."

She waved my apology off. "It's fine, Danielle; we're just glad you're better now.

Jasper nodded and smiled at me. "I hope you like your breakfast better than the deer blood.

I wrinkled my nose at the memory, "I'm sure I will." Jasper laughed and sat a plate full of French toast in front of me. "Wow, this looks great!" I said as I dug in.

"It was Jasper's idea; he thought you might be getting tired of pancakes," said Esme as she poured a glass of milk for me.

"Thank you Jasper; I like both, but I do prefer French toast." He sat with me while I ate and told me about how his night had gone.

After eating, I went and changed clothes so we could pack up my house. Carlisle let me drive my car one last time and Jasper rode with me, and Carlisle followed in the Mercedes. I had my Incubus "Morning View" CD in my car and surprised to learn that Jasper hadn't heard of them. He seemed to really like them. It didn't take long to get to my place. We quickly packed up everything and loaded up the cars. I gave Carlisle my file safe, explaining all my identity documents were inside of it. I mailed my last rent check and we headed home. On the way back to Forks we listened to Incubus "Make Yourself" which Jasper also liked. Carlisle and Jasper carried in all the boxes for me and Jasper helped me put my things away in my new bedroom. I really enjoyed spending time with him and I think he liked being with me too, even if it meant he had to fold clothes.

I ate a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch and watched Emmett and Jasper play chess. Edward explained to me how they played, seeing as they had 3 chess boards set up. He also told me they wouldn't play against him because of his power, but Carlisle would because he could block his thoughts. I told him I didn't like to play chess, but I would gladly play games against him. He smiled at me. I liked Edward, not like how I liked Jasper, but I agreed with Esme; we were going to be good friends. I asked him all about school and what classes we'd have and if Carlisle wrote us excuses to get out of PE. He laughed at that. A lot. I was serious though; I hated PE. He explained more about what Jasper had said; how the students were scared of them and in awe and basically left them alone. How they knew more about the subjects than the teachers and didn't have to pay any attention in class.

"Danielle? Could you come here please?" Esme's voice called me from the office,

I quickly went to see what she needed. "Yes?"

She smiled at me, "Great news! Carlisle and I spoke to your aunt and got your story all covered. She also had your boxes shipped up here and they should arrive Wednesday."

"Oh sweet! Thank you Esme. Could you help me set my laptop up in my room?"

"Of course."

We went upstairs and set my laptop up on my new desk, looking out the window. "Thanks again for my room Esme; this view is awesome."

"I'm glad you like it, dear. Let me know when you'd like dinner." She left and closed the door behind her. I spent a good amount of time going through emails and talking to Kris on AIM. I goofed around a little on Xanga, checking up on some friends from high school and college.

There was a knock on my door. "Come in," I answered. I was surprised to see it was Emmett.

He looked at me and grinned, "Expecting Jazz, huh?" I just grinned back at him. "We're gonna go for a run and wanted to know if you wanted to join us. We'll even go slowly for you."

I looked at the clock. "I need to eat dinner before we go. Will you wait for me?"

"Sure thing." He dashed downstairs, and I headed to the kitchen.

Esme quickly appeared. "What would you like?" I looked through the pantry and pulled out a box of macaroni and cheese. She took the package and made it for me. As I ate, all the boys joined me at the bar; apparently mac and cheese didn't smell as bad as the other food I ate. Emmett and Edward had been thinking of more tests for me to do so they told me their ideas. I finished eating and we headed out the back door. "Don't stay out too late; Danielle has to sleep!" Esme called after us as we took off running.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N:** One story alert and one more review! Thanks! This is the longest chapter yet! Enjoy :)

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER TWENTYEIGHT**

**(JPOV)**

"Good morning, Danielle. Did you sleep well?" I asked.

She glared at me and grunted, "Mmm." She looked like a zombie. She yawned, plopped down at the bar, and laid her head down.

Esme came over, "Are you okay Danielle?" She just groaned and yawned again. What's wrong with her? Carlisle came out from his study and motioned for us to leave. We did and they went to his study. I wanted to give Danielle some privacy, but I was very worried about her. I heard her yawn again.

"Danielle?" asked Carlisle, "Did you drink the blood I gave you?" Oh, that's right. She still had to drink some blood. "That's what I thought. I had Jasper help me bag up some animal blood for you; I'm afraid that's all I have here. Would you like me to get it for you?"

"In a cup with a straw please," she answered. He came into the kitchen and looked at me, knowing I was eavesdropping. He poured the deer blood in a cup and put a straw in it. Strange. He went back to the office.

"It takes some getting used to," I heard Carlisle say. She must not like it; can't say I blame her after all deer isn't my favorite either.

"Ew. I don't much care for that. But I do feel better. Thank you, Carlisle."

"You're welcome Danielle. If you're hungry, I think Jasper and Esme were going to make you French toast."

"Sweet! I love French toast!"

Esme and I went to the kitchen and started making French toast for Danielle. She came in and sat down at the bar and watched us.

Esme looked up at her, "Are you feeling better now?"

She nodded, "Yes. I'm sorry for how I acted earlier."

"It's fine, Danielle; we're just glad you're better now."

I nodded and smiled at her. "I hope you like your breakfast better than the deer blood."

She wrinkled her nose, "I'm sure I will." I laughed and sat a plate full of French toast in front of her. "Wow, this looks great!" she said as she dug in.

"It was Jasper's idea; he thought you might be getting tired of pancakes," said Esme as she poured a glass of milk for her.

"Thank you Jasper; I like both, but I do prefer French toast." I sat next to her while she ate. She asked about what I did while she was sleeping, so I told her about my run.

After she finished eating, she changed clothes so we could pack up her house. Carlisle let her drive her car one last time and I rode with her, and Carlisle followed in the Mercedes. She was listening to a CD in her car that I hadn't heard before. I mentioned this to her and she told me it was "Morning View" by Incubus. I had to stifle a laugh at the band's name. She really enjoyed the music though and I found several songs on the CD I liked as well. It didn't take long to get to her house in Port Angeles. We quickly packed up everything and loaded up the cars. On the way back to Forks we listened to "Make Yourself" also by Incubus. It was a harder rock album and I liked it better than the other. When we got back to the house, Carlisle and I carried in all the boxes and I helped Danielle put her things away in her new bedroom. I was really enjoying our time together, especially since I knew we wouldn't be able to spend as much time together once school started.

Esme fixed Danielle a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch and she watched Emmett and I play chess. Edward explained to her how they played with the 3 chess boards set up. He also told her how we wouldn't play against him because of his power, but Carlisle would because he could block his thoughts. She said she didn't like to play chess, but she'd gladly play games against him. She asked him all about school and what classes we'd have and if Carlisle wrote us excuses to get out of PE. He explained more about what I had said; how the students were scared of us and in awe and basically left us alone. And how we knew more about the subjects than the teachers and didn't have to pay any attention in class.

"Danielle? Could you come here please?" Esme's voice called from the office. She went into the office then went upstairs with Esme. A few minutes later, Esme came back down. Emmett and I were still engrossed in our chess game and were playing best out of 5. We finished up and I was about to go upstairs to see Danielle when Emmett pouted at me, "Dissin' your brothers again, man?" I stopped; I had been ignoring them a bit lately. Edward nodded.

"Okay Emmett, what would you like to do?"

"Let's go for a run. Together."

"Okay, let me say bye to Danielle first."

"Why won't you invite her to go with us? We don't want her to feel left out," said Edward.

"Ooh! I wanna do it!" Emmett raced up the stairs and knocked on the door.

"Come in," said Danielle.

"Expecting Jazz, huh?" said Emmett. "We're gonna go for a run and wanted to know if you wanted to join us. We'll even go slowly for you."

"I need to eat dinner before we go," Danielle answered. "Will you wait for me?"

"Sure thing." He came back downstairs and Danielle went to the kitchen. Esme made her a box of macaroni and cheese. She sat down at the bar and my brothers and I joined her; macaroni and cheese didn't smell as bad as the other food she ate. Emmett and Edward had been thinking of more tests for her to do so they told her their ideas. She finished eating and we headed out the back door. "Don't stay out too late; Danielle has to sleep!" Esme called after us as we took off running.

We started running and Danielle asked, "How come we never go over there?" She pointed and we all stopped. I quickly realized we hadn't told her about the treaty.

"Let's run a little further and we'll tell you all about that, okay?" She nodded and we took off again. I loved running; it was so freeing. Danielle started giggling as she ran and started chasing me, then falling back. I thought she might be getting tired so I slowed down and she ran past me and stuck her tongue out. "Oh it's on now!" I took after her and grabbed her hand. We ran hand-in-hand for a while before Edward decided we should stop. Danielle and I sat down on a log, while Edward and Emmett stood. They started telling her about the treaty with the Quileute tribe. The story took a while for Edward to tell, since Emmett kept interrupting with opinions.

"So let me get this straight," said Danielle, "There's a tribe here that knows about you and hates you, but as long as you don't bite a human they won't tell anyone or try to kill you?"

We nodded, "Yes, that's right."

"So what about me? I mean, I'm half human and I don't drink any blood from the source. Even if I did bite someone, I don't have any venom and I wouldn't drain them."

"She has a point," I said.

"I don't think they'll care about technicalities, if you're on their land, Danielle," said Edward, "Just don't go there, but always be formal and polite if you run into any of the tribe outside of their lands."

She nodded. "Fair enough; I don't want to cause any trouble for yall."

Suddenly, I smelt a bear, and I could tell Edward and Emmett did too. "Hey Danielle? Do you smell that?" asked Emmett.

She took a deep breath and shook her head, "What should I smell?"

"There's a bear. Let's get closer and see how good your sense of smell is." We started walking towards the scent, Danielle still trying to smell it.

About a quarter of a mile closer she suddenly went, "Oh! I smell something. And I can hear a heartbeat. What is it? It smells gross!"

"Gross?!" exclaimed Emmett, "That's the best smell in the world. Well, one of them anyways," he raised his eyebrow suggestively.

"Ew. I'll stay here; yall go ahead."

"We don't really need to hunt, do you Jasper?" asked Edward. I shook my head; I actually didn't need to. But it was hard for Emmett to pass up a bear. "Go ahead, Emmett; we'll wait for you." I starting thinking back to Charlotte and Peter and what would happen when they hunted together. Hell, it'd happen to Carlisle and Esme too, they just hid it better. Edward nodded. I wondered what would happen if Danielle would ever hunt with me. I liked that idea.

"Where'd Edward go?" asked Danielle.

Shit. "Um, I don't know. Maybe he was thirsty after all. I'm sure he's fine. You want to start heading back to the house?"

"Sure," she said, as she grabbed my hand and smiled, "Let's go!"


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N:** Thanks for reading! If you like my story please consider adding it to your favorites or story alerts. Thanks!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER TWENTYNINE**

**(DPOV)**

"Don't stay out too late; Danielle has to sleep!" Esme called after us as we took off running.

We started running and I realized we always went the same direction. "How come we never go over there?" I pointed and we all stopped.

"Let's run a little further and we'll tell you all about that, okay?" I nodded and we took off again. I started giggling as I ran and started chasing Jasper, then falling back. He slowed down and I ran past me and stuck my tongue out. "Oh it's on now!" He speed up and grabbed my hand. We ran hand-in-hand for a while before Edward decided we should stop. Jasper and I sat down on a log, while Edward and Emmett stood. They started telling me about the treaty with the Quileute tribe. The story took a while for Edward to tell, since Emmett kept interrupting with opinions.

"So let me get this straight," I said, "There's a tribe here that knows about you and hates you, but as long as you don't bite a human they won't tell anyone or try to kill you?"

They nodded, "Yes, that's right."

"So what about me? I mean, I'm half human and I don't drink any blood from the source. Even if I did bite someone, I don't have any venom and I wouldn't drain them."

"She has a point," Jasper said.

"I don't think they'll care about technicalities, if you're on their land, Danielle," said Edward, "Just don't go there, but always be formal and polite if you run into any of the tribe outside of their lands."

I nodded. "Fair enough; I don't want to cause any trouble for yall."

Suddenly, they all went still. "Hey Danielle? Do you smell that?" asked Emmett.

I took a deep breath and shook my head, "What should I smell?"

"There's a bear. Let's get closer and see how good your sense of smell is."

We started walking towards the scent, but I couldn't smell it. About a quarter of a mile closer though I could, "Oh! I smell something. And I can hear a heartbeat. What is it? It smells gross!"

"Gross?!" exclaimed Emmett, "That's the best smell in the world. Well, one of them anyways," he raised his eyebrow suggestively.

"Ew. I'll stay here; yall go ahead."

"We don't really need to hunt, do you Jasper?" asked Edward. He shook his head. "Go ahead, Emmett; we'll wait for you." Jasper appeared lost in thought and then Edward nodded. Suddenly, he grimaced and took off in a run, towards the house.

"Where'd Edward go?" I asked.

"Um, I don't know. Maybe he was thirsty after all. I'm sure he's fine. You want to start heading back to the house?"

"Sure," I said, as I grabbed his hand and smiled, "Let's go!"

We ran back toward the house, when Jasper turned sharply. I followed him and we ended up at a gorgeous waterfall. "Oh my God; it's beautiful."

"Yes you are," said Jasper, as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Gee, did you think of that all by yourself?"

He just chuckled and kissed the top of my head. "I found this waterfall years ago and was waiting for someone to share it with."

I melted, "Jasper," He silenced me with a kiss. God, I was becoming addicted to those kisses. I wrapped my arms around his neck, my fingers playing with his curly hair. He growled and pulled me close, kissing me harder. I eventually had to pull away to breathe.

"I'm sorry Danielle; I got carried away."

"It's quite alright, Jasper. I'd be lying if I said I minded," I smiled up at him.

He smiled back and gave me a quick kiss on lips, "We should head back to the house before they come looking for us."

I nodded, "Just give me a second; my knees are still weak."

He laughed and picked me up, tossing me over his shoulder and took off running. "Jasper! Put me down! I mean it! Put me down!" He just kept laughing and running back to the house. He ran into the house, still with me over his shoulder and sat me down on the couch. I was about to give him a piece of my mind when he kissed me again. I sighed, "You fight dirty, Jasper." I heard someone chuckle.

Jasper just grinned, "I was in the Civil War, Danielle." I rolled my eyes, then yawned.

"Oh no! The half human's getting tired," Emmett said as he came into the living room and turned on the TV. "What took you guys so long to get back?" he asked and smirked at as. I ignored him and headed up the stairs.

I got ready for bed and put on a pair of lavender satin pajamas with butterflies on the pants. The top was a tank top and said "Love" on it. Esme had great taste in clothes; I was very excited about our shopping trip Tuesday. I laid down on my bed and started reading the Michelangelo book, when there was a knock at my door. "It's open."

Jasper stuck his head in, "Like some company?"

I patted the spot next to me on the bed and he laid down and started reading his book. "What are you going to do tonight?" I asked him.

"Whatever my brothers want to do. Probably more chess or something. Emmett wants to play video games, but we get kind of loud; I don't want to wake you up." I nodded and went back to reading. I saw Jasper look at the clock, "It's late Danielle; shouldn't you go to sleep?"

"Yeah, probably."

"So why are you staying awake?" he asked.

"Um, well, because I like spending time with you," I mumbled.

He grinned at me and lowered his voice, "I like spending time with you too, Danielle. But you need to get some sleep; we have all eternity to be together, if you'd like."

I smiled at that thought, as I snuggled under the covers. "I'd like that Jasper."

He kissed my forehead and smiled. "Good night Danielle."

"Good night Jasper." He left and closed the door behind him.

I tried to sleep, but my brain kept replaying what Jasper just said. Did he mean it? Did he want to spend eternity with me? And did I want to with him? I thought back to our run earlier and how much I liked being with him. Then I thought of his kisses. God, those kisses did things to me; awoke feelings I hadn't had before. I had dated some in college and had kissed a few guys before, but it wasn't anything like that. Then I started thinking about the conversation I had with Esme; what if Jasper wanted to be with someone who was more experienced? Older? I was very young by vampire standards. I groaned rolled over, trying to get comfortable. I remembered Carlisle was going to do more tests today so I had to get some sleep. I got out of bed and grabbed my old teddy bear, before climbing back into bed. Finally, I drifted off to sleep.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N:** Two more reviews! Thank you so much!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER THIRTY**

**(JPOV)**

"You want to start heading back to the house?"

"Sure," she said, as she grabbed my hand and smiled, "Let's go!"

We started running back towards the house, when I realized now would be the perfect time to show her something. I turned, and Danielle followed me. We ended up at a gorgeous waterfall. "Oh my God; it's beautiful."

"Yes you are," I said, as I wrapped my arms around her.

"Gee, did you think of that all by yourself?" she teased.

I just chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "I found this waterfall years ago and was waiting for someone to share it with."

"Oh, Jasper," I couldn't take it anymore and silenced her with a kiss. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and pulled a little on my hair. I growled and pulled her close, kissing her harder. This girl was going to be the death of me. Suddenly, she pulled away to breath. Oops, I forgot about that.

"I'm sorry Danielle; I got carried away."

"It's quite alright, Jasper. I'd be lying if I said I minded," she smiled up at me.

I smiled back and gave her a quick kiss on lips, "We should head back to the house before they come looking for us."

She nodded, "Just give me a second; my knees are still weak."

I laughed and picked her up, tossing her over my shoulder and took off running. "Jasper! Put me down! I mean it! Put me down!" I just kept laughing and running back to the house. Something about Danielle just made me fell free; I couldn't explain it. I knew my family hadn't seen me like this before. I ran into the house, still with Danielle over my shoulder and sat her down on the couch. She looked ready to tell me off, so I quickly kissed her gain. She sighed, "You fight dirty, Jasper." I heard Edward chuckle.

I just grinned, "I was in the Civil War, Danielle."

She rolled her eyes, then yawned.

"Oh no! The half human's getting tired," Emmett said as he came into the living room and turned on the TV. "What took you guys so long to get back?" he asked and smirked at us. She ignored him and headed up the stairs, leaving me to deal with him. Great. I sat down on the couch and waited for the shower to start.

"Okay, Em." Edward came in and sat down next to me. "Nothing happened, Emmett. Well, some kissing, but that's all."

He looked disappointed. "No touching?" Edward rolled his eyes and I sighed.

"You touch when you kiss, but no, no specific touching. I'm a gentleman, Em." He muttered something about me being old-fashioned and went back to watching TV.

I heard the shower shut off and Danielle getting ready. I fidgeted, waiting for her to finish up. I heard her lay down on the bed, so I ran upstairs and knocked on the door. "It's open."

I stuck my head in, "Like some company?" She patted the spot next to her on the bed, so I went over and laid down. "What are you going to do tonight?" she asked me.

"Whatever my brothers want to do. Probably more chess or something. Emmett wants to play video games, but we get kind of loud; I don't want to wake you up." She nodded and went back to reading. I looked at the clock, "It's late Danielle; shouldn't you go to sleep?"

"Yeah, probably."

"So why are you staying awake?" I asked.

"Um, well, because I like spending time with you," she mumbled.

I grinned and lowered my voice, "I like spending time with you too, Danielle. But you need to get some sleep; we have all eternity to be together, if you'd like."

She smiled and snuggled under the covers. "I'd like that Jasper."

I kissed her forehead and smiled. "Good night Danielle."

"Good night Jasper." I left and closed the door behind me.

Emmett had three chess boards all set up so we started playing, while Edward read a book. Emmett kept beating me though, because I was distracted by Danielle. I could tell she wasn't asleep and I heard her get out of bed once. I was about to run up there to check on her when Edward stopped me, "She just got back in bed, Jazz. She's okay." I nodded and tried to focus on the game, but my mind kept going back to what she said. I couldn't believe I had been so forward with her about spending eternity together. Did you understand what I meant? Did she really mean what she said? Edward sighed. "Sorry." He nodded at me.

"Man Jazz; I've beaten you five games in a row! What's up?"

I looked at Emmett, "What do you think?"

"Oh right, Danielle." He rolled his eyes, "So what happened?"

Edward cut in, "He told her they had all eternity to be together and she said she'd like that." I looked at him and thought, _"Is nothing private?"_ He just shrugged.

"Oh dude! That is serious. You two gotta have the sex talk."

My head whipped up, "What?!"

Emmett just nodded, "I'm serious, bro. Gotta have the sex talk."

"Sex? But we're not married."

"See," said Emmett, "That's what I'm talking about. She's nineteen, Jazz; girls don't wait around anymore. Not like they did when we were 19." He nudged Edward, "Right? Don't girls think about sex all day?"

"Not as much as you do," answered Edward, "But yes, Emmett is right. You need to talk to her about it. You have found your mate, but she is half-human and they don't always mate for life. It's something you two have to discuss." Great; I was looking forward to that conversation. Edward smirked at my sarcasm.

I headed up to my room and turned on my computer. I pulled up Google and searched through tons of teenage websites, looking for advice about relationships. I read page after page and visited site after site, but I still wasn't sure how to approach her about it. Edward came into my room. "You're thinking about it too much, Jazz. I think the conversation will come naturally when the time is right to have it. Who knows? Maybe she'll bring it up; women are also much more forward these days too," he said as he patted my shoulder. He was right; I was thinking too much about it. He nodded and left. I hoped Danielle was actually getting some sleep since Carlisle wanted to run more tests today. He had been spending quite a bit of time comparing DNA samples of hers with ours as well as humans. I had overheard him and Edward having lengthy medical discussion that didn't interest me. Unlike them, I hadn't been to medical school and had no desire to; history was my passion. I knew they would tell me anything important that Carlisle might find. I did have some concerns though, so I went and spoke to Carlisle about them. He wasn't able to answer my questions, but assured me that he would speak to Danielle about them. That made me feel a lot better, so I headed back up to my room and started reading, waiting for Danielle to wake up.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N:** One more favorite and three more reviews! Thank you! Hotness ahead!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER THIRTYONE**

**(DPOV)**

Finally, I drifted off to sleep, but I was still restless. I kept tossing and turning, nervous about what Jasper said as well as the tests Carlisle was going to run. A loud clanging woke me up, and I quickly headed downstairs to see what was going on.

You can imagine my surprise when I walked into the kitchen and saw Emmett and Edward attempting to cook me breakfast. Edward was digging through the cabinets looking for something, and Emmett was trying to crack open an egg without shattering it. He looked up at me as I ran in, "Oh hey Danielle. Sleep well?" I nodded and watched him go through six eggs before I walked over to help him. "Oh thanks, Danielle. This is much harder than it looks," he said, as I cracked an egg open into a bowl.

"No problem. French toast?" I asked. Edward nodded. "You guys do know that I can cook, right? Here, let me do it and you guys can watch me, okay?"

"Sweet," said Emmett as he and Edward sat down at the bar. I got the griddle out and plugged it in, then mixed up the egg batter for the bread.

"So where is everyone else?" I asked.

"Carlisle asked Esme and Jasper to help with some tests. He has to go into work this afternoon, so he thought he'd get their results then test you separately and compare your results to theirs," answered Edward, closely watching what I was doing.

"That makes sense. So they left you to cook me breakfast?" I finished up the French toast and sat down at the bar. Emmett got up and started cleaning up the mess they had made.

"Not really. Esme said there was cereal for you, but we thought it wouldn't be that hard to make you breakfast," said Emmett.

I grinned, "Uh huh."

He had the decency to look ashamed, "I've never cooked before, Danielle. Where I come from, that's woman's work." I just giggled at him.

"So what did you guys do last night?"

Edward and Emmett glanced at each other. "Not much," answered Edward, "Em and Jazz played some chess and we read, that sort of thing."

I raised an eyebrow, "Uh huh." They both just smiled at me.

I finished eating and headed upstairs and took a quick shower and put on some jeans and a tshirt. I was in the bathroom, brushing my teeth, when I heard Carlisle, Esme and Jasper return. I finished brushing and was checking out my appearance in the mirror, when Jasper walked into the bathroom from his bedroom. I turned and looked at him in surprise and was struck speechless. He had dirt on him and leaves in his hair, but what I noticed was his chest; he was shirtless. His dirty shirt was in his hand and he was standing there, staring back at me. I wondered how he didn't realize I was in here, you know, with the heartbeat and all, but my eyes kept going back to his chest. He was gorgeous. I knew he had some scars from his time in the South, but I had only seen him in pants and long-sleeved shirts, so most of his skin was covered. His entire torso was covered in scars, but it was incredibly sexy. Dangerous. He unfroze and went to put his shirt back on, but I ran to him and smiled up at him. He smiled back, hesitantly, and I realized he was probably ashamed of his scars. I slowly reached my hand towards him and traced my fingers over one of the scars on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch, so I continued tracing scars across his collarbone and down his chest. He looked down at me with black eyes and softly growled. Before I knew it, he grabbed me and was kissing me with such intensity that my knees went weak. I kissed him back, grabbing the back of his neck and pulled him closer. He moaned in my mouth and picked me up and sat me down on the bathroom counter, and started kissing down my neck, while his hands went up my sides. Then his cell phone rang. We froze, remembering where we were and that everyone in the house could hear us. I wanted to crawl in a hole and die, but instead, blushed profusely and covered my face with my hands.

"I'm sorry Danielle; I just seem to get carried away when I'm with you." I just nodded and traced the scars on his arm. We stayed like that for several minutes, before Jasper spoke up, "If you're ready, Carlisle would like to do some more tests before he has to go to work and I need to get cleaned up." He grinned at me and I hopped off the counter and headed towards the door. "Oh, and Danielle?" he asked, "Maybe later we should talk about… this." He gestured between himself and me.

I nodded, "All good things though, right?"

He smiled and kissed the top of my head, "Of course Danielle, all good things." I smiled at him as I left the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

I had to hand it to the Cullen's; no one said a word about what they had heard, or gave me any looks or anything. "Are you ready, Danielle?" asked Carlisle, as he stood up from the couch.

"Yes I am."

We raced out the backdoor and Carlisle explained what I was going to be doing. Apparently, we were testing my sense of smell and sight today. He had placed a blood bag with human blood in the forest and I was supposed to find it based on scent. Compared to Jasper and Esme, my sense of smell wasn't as strong as theirs. But then he tested me again with a Hershey bar and I was able to find that quicker than they could. "Interesting," mumbled Carlisle as he noted his findings. He tested my eyesight by having me look for small marks on various trees, but I had to get a closer to be able to see them than the others had.

"Danielle? You did very well on the testing today, but there are some more medical type questions I'd like to ask and discuss with you, but I think you'd feel more comfortable discussing them with me at the hospital, correct?" I nodded. "That's what I thought. I'll schedule some time for you and I to meet at the hospital on Wednesday then." We ran back to the house, where Carlisle quickly headed upstairs to get ready for work.

"Wow, you're no where near as dirty as Jasper and Esme were," said Emmett from the couch.

"Um, thanks?" I said as I went into the kitchen to get a drink.

Carlisle came back down the stairs. "Bye everyone." I waved to him as he ran out.

I took my glass of milk with me into the living room and sat down next to Emmett. "Ew. Baseball. I hate baseball."

Emmett looked at me in shock, "What?"

"It's so boring! They just stand around, waiting for something to happen. The pitcher's constantly messing with his hat or something, the guy at bat keeps swinging at nothing and the umps flashing all these hand signals, like he's a card-carrying member of the Wu-Tang Clan. No action, no time limit, low scores. Boring!"

Edward had come into the living room during my tirade. "I don't like to watch it on TV either, but I like to play baseball."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "You play baseball? Aren't you afraid of getting dirty?"

Emmett laughed and Edward smirked, "Touché. But yes, I do play. Actually our whole family does and I bet you'd like it too. As long as you aren't afraid of getting dirty."

"Unlike some people," I said as I looked at him, "I'm not."


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N:** One more review! Thank you! This is the longest chapter yet!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER THIRTYTWO**

**(JPOV)**

I headed back up to my room and started reading, waiting for Danielle to wake up.

A little while later, I heard Carlisle call me from the living room. I quickly went downstairs to see what he needed. "Jasper, I was wondering if you would help out with some tests. I thought it might be better if I could compare Danielle's abilities to more than one of us."

"Sure, I'd be glad to help."

"Told you so," said Emmett, "Anything's better than him moping around while she's sleeping." I went to tackle him, but Esme stopped me and I ran out into the night, with her and Carlisle right behind me.

Carlisle explained how he had made small marks on some trees to test our eyesight. Esme and I were both able to see them from far away. He had also hidden some items in the forest that we were to find by smell. There was a chocolate bar that both Esme and I had some difficulty finding. And then we smelt blood. Human blood. We looked at Carlisle and he nodded at us and we took off to find it. He had hidden a bag of human blood we both found it within seconds. I was able to restrain myself, but I still had some difficulty. Carlisle suggested I go for a run, which I did. Before I knew it though, Esme tackled me! I quickly got up and dropped into an attack crouch before I realized she was playing. We wrestled around a bit and got covered in dirt and leaves before we all sat down on a log, laughing. "It's great to see you so free," said Esme, as she pulled leaves out of her hair.

"You did very well back there," said Carlisle, as he clasped my shoulder, "Your control has greatly improved since Danielle has entered your life."

"Thank you Carlisle."

Esme leaned over and hugged me, "I'm so happy for you," she gushed, "I know you have been lonely for many years now and I'm just so happy you've found someone."

"Thanks Esme," I said, "And thank you for making her feel so welcome in our family; it means a lot to me."

"Of course, Jasper," said Carlisle, "Danielle is a great addition to our family. Speaking of which, I bet she's awake by now." We all ran back to the house.

As I passed by a mirror in the hallway, I realized I was covered in dirt and leaves_. "Oh crap! I don't want Danielle to see my like this!" _I hurried up to my room and quickly took of shirt. I listened and heard Danielle's heartbeat in her closet, so I went into the bathroom to put my dirty shirt in the hamper and to fix my hair. As I opened the door to the bathroom, though, I realized Danielle wasn't in her closet. She just looked at me with a curious expression, which quickly changed to something else. I remembered that I was shirtless and she could see all my scars, so I went to put my shirt back on. She ran over to me and smiled back at me, so I stopped and gave her a small smile back, still unsure of what was going on. She slowly reached her hand out towards me and traced her fingers over one of my scars on my shoulder. Her touch was so gentle and I couldn't help but close my eyes and enjoy the feeling. This seemed to encourage her, so she continued tracing over my many scars across my collarbone and down my chest. Her fingers glided over a scar right next to my nipple and a burst of heat cursed through my body. I opened my eyes and looked down at her as a soft growl erupted from my chest. She looked up at me with wide eyes, her lips softly parted and I couldn't help pulling her close to me and kissing her. She froze momentarily, probably from surprise before kissing me back intensely. She wound her arms around my neck and pulled me closer, causing her body to conform to mine. The heat from her body caused me to moan and I picked her up and sat her down on the bathroom counter. I left her lips and kissed down her neck, right over her jugular, where I could feel the blood pulsing right beneath the skin. Suddenly, my cell phone rang from my pocket. I raised my head up and froze, suddenly remembering where we were and how everyone in the house just heard what we were doing. Danielle seemed to realize this too and she blushed and covered her face with her hands. Great.

"I'm sorry Danielle; I just seem to get carried away when I'm with you." She nodded and traced some scars on my arm. I wasn't sure what to say, and I didn't really want her to leave, but I knew Carlisle needed to do the tests with her before he had to go to work. "If you're ready, Carlisle would like to do some more tests before he has to go to work and I need to get cleaned up." I grinned at her, hoping to make her feel more comfortable. For about the millionth time, I wished my gift worked on her so I knew what she was feeling. She nodded, hopped off the counter and headed towards the door. "Oh, and Danielle?" I asked, "Maybe later we should talk about… this." I gestured between her and me.

She nodded, "All good things though, right?"

I smiled and kissed the top of her head, "Of course Danielle, all good things." She smiled as she left the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

I listened as she went down to the living, praying that no one would say anything to her about what just happened. I knew I wouldn't be so lucky, as my brothers were sure to ambush me with questions as soon as she was out of earshot.

"Are you ready, Danielle?" asked Carlisle.

"Yes I am," she answered. I heard the two of them race of out the house.

"We're coming up there," said Emmett from the living room. I heard Esme tell them to be nice as she went upstairs to clean up as well. "Dude! You totally were about to get to at least second base!" said Emmett as he and Edward walked into my room.

"Yeah, I know. Too bad someone decided to call me," I looked pointedly at Edward.

"It was for your own good Jazz; your mouth was right on top of her jugular! What was I supposed to do?"

"Gee, I don't know, Edward. Trust me? I'm not going to hurt her; she's my whole reason for living!"

They both stopped and stared at me. "You really were in control, weren't you?" asked Edward.

I nodded, "I told you I was fine. Did you hear any thoughts about her blood or my thirst or anything like that?" He shook his head. "Exactly. Her blood doesn't call to me. Maybe it's because she's half vampire, maybe it's because I love her, I don't know. I just know my thirst is not a danger to her."

"Well," said Emmett as he sat down in my computer chair, "Edward kinda had to stop you, man. I'm pretty sure if you two had kept at it a few more minutes, Carlisle and Esme would've gotten at it in the living room. Plus, let's just say, I never realized how hot Edward was."

"Ew," I said, while Edward threw a pillow at Emmett. "Sorry you guys, I forgot about that, you know, seeing as my gift doesn't affect Danielle."

Edward cleared his throat, "So, I take it your going to talk to her sooner than later, right?" I nodded and we all just sat there for a while before Emmett spoke up, "So are you going to hang out with us this afternoon while Esme and Danielle go grocery shopping?"

I looked at him, then Edward, "Wait. You guys miss me?" Edward rolled his eyes, but Emmett nodded his head. "Then sure, I'll hang with you two. But I need a shower first." They nodded and left.

I was going to take a quick shower, but the water was so relaxing and it gave me a chance to sort through my thoughts without being bothered. As soon as I turned off the water though, I heard Danielle's voice from downstairs, so I quickly got dressed and headed down to see her.

When I got to the living room, however, it seemed her and Edward were having a disagreement. Edward looked over at me and smirked, "You've got you hands full with this one, Jazz." Danielle just ignored him and came over to me and hugged me. I gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Would you like me to make you some lunch?"

She nodded, "Yeah that'd be great." We headed into the kitchen and I made her a grilled cheese sandwich. I sat down with her at the bar and she told me about how were tests went with Carlisle.

Esme came down the stairs. "Are you ready to go grocery shopping, Danielle?"

"Oh that's right! Sure am, Esme."

"Are you coming with us Jasper?"

"No, I think I'll stay here, let you two do some girl bonding."

They both grinned at me. "Alright; we'll be back later!" said Esme as she went to the garage.

Danielle snuck me a quick kiss before she left, "Have fun with your brothers."

"I will." She headed out to the garage and I heard the car drive away.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N:** One more favorite and one more review! Thanks so much! Here's another long chapter - Enjoy it, because the next ones are shorter.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER THIRTYTHREE**

**(DPOV)**

Jasper came into the living room, just as I was about to give Edward a piece of my mind. Edward looked over at him and smirked, "You've got you hands full with this one, Jazz."

I just ignored him and went to Jasper and hugged him. He gave me a quick kiss on the lips. "Would you like me to make you some lunch?"

I nodded, "Yeah that'd be great." We headed into the kitchen and he made me a grilled cheese sandwich. We sat down at the bar and I told him about how the tests went with Carlisle.

Esme came down the stairs. "Are you ready to go grocery shopping, Danielle?"

"Oh that's right! Sure am, Esme."

"Are you coming with us Jasper?"

"No, I think I'll stay here, let you two do some girl bonding." Esme and I grinned at him.

"Alright; we'll be back later!" said Esme as she went to the garage.

I gave Jasper a quick kiss before I left, "Have fun with your brothers."

"I will."

I headed out to the Suburban, where Esme was waiting for me. "I was thinking we could spend a little time together, before we went grocery shopping if that's okay with you," Esme said as I got in the car.

"Sure! Sounds good. What do you have in mind?"

"Well, I thought maybe we could head to Port Angeles and just talk some."

"Alright." She took off towards Port Angeles and I turned the radio on.

"So," she started.

"Yes?"

"It seems you and Jasper are having a good time."

I blushed, "Yeah, yeah we are."

She just smiled at me, "Danielle, I know I'm the mother of this family, but I've been waiting a while for another female to join our family and I hope that we can be close friends."

"I hope we can too, Esme; I'd really like that."

She reached over and patted my hand, "Good. I'm glad to hear that."

I glanced out the window and saw we were going super fast, so I turned my attention back to her. "Esme? May I ask you something kind of personal?"

"Of course, dear."

"How did you know Carlisle was The One?" She smiled at me and got a faraway look in her eyes.

"Well, it all started when I was 16…" She told me the story of Carlisle setting her broken leg in a hospital, and then later her horrible marriage. She choked up some when she told me about her newborn son dying and how she decided to end her life by jumping off a cliff. We had arrived at an ice cream shop in Port Angeles, but we stayed in the car while she finished her story. "I felt like I had nothing left to live for, so I jumped. My body was taken to the morgue, because I was presumed dead, but Carlisle found me, noticed I still had a heartbeat and changed me. I awoke after three days of torture to find the most beautiful watching me. It was Dr. Carlisle Cullen; the same doctor who I had a girlhood crush on all those years ago. And it turned out he loved me. I knew the moment I opened my eyes and saw him that I loved him."

I just sat there, taking it all in. "So you just knew?"

She nodded, "I just knew. Would you like to get some ice cream?"

"I'd love to."

We went inside the small shop and ordered a large sundae to "share" and went outside to eat it. "Thank you for sharing that with me Esme; Carlisle said he had saved you after you fell off a cliff, but I didn't know the rest of the story."

"You're welcome, Danielle. And please excuse me if I'm overstepping my bounds here, but Jasper looks at you the same way Carlisle looks at me."

I smiled shyly at her, "Really?"

She nodded, "Yes." We both giggled and enjoyed the scenery while I finished eating the hot fudge brownie sundae. "Ready?" she asked me. I nodded and we headed back to the car. We drove back to Forks and went to the grocery store. Esme stopped me before I got out of the car. "I'm serious, Danielle. Pick out anything you want. We have to buy groceries to keep up appearances, as I'd just as soon spend the money on food you're going to eat."

"Okay Esme. Oh and thank you." She smiled at me as we got out of the car.

"Hello Mrs. Cullen," said the bag boy, as we walked into the store.

I glanced at his name tag; David. "Hello, David," answered Esme, "How are you doing?"

"Better now that you're here," he said as he smiled at her. I hid a grin; the Cullens had an interesting effect on humans.

Esme just smiled back at him, "I'm sorry I didn't make it in yesterday, but I was busy with some family business." She gestured to me, "This is Danielle Kelley. Her mother and I were cousins and she has just moved her from Texas. She'll be staying with us for at least a semester."

David looked me over suggestively, making me very glad Jasper had stayed at home. "It's nice to meet you, David," I said as I offered my hand.

He took it and shook it, "Likewise." God, he was laying it on thick. "So what grade are you, Danielle?"

"I'll be a freshman this year," I answered, as Esme got a cart and started shopping.

"Sweet; I'm a junior this year. So are you seeing anyone?"

"Um, well I just moved here, so…"

"Danielle? What kind of juice do you like?" asked Esme.

I smiled apologetically at David. "I should help her out. Nice talking to you," I said as I walked back to where Esme was. "Thank you," I whispered softly.

She smiled, "No problem. It is better this way, though. I bet he'll tell everyone he knows about you and by the time school starts, you'll be old news."

"God I hope so. Oh, and I like orange juice blends, like orange strawberry banana juice, but I don't like plain orange juice."

Esme just smiled as she put the juice in the cart. "Alright, let's shop!" We spent about 30 minutes in the tiny store as I explained what I liked and didn't like to Esme, so she could go shopping without me in the future if she needed to. I then realized the school probably had gross food and I might need to take my lunch.

"David?" He jumped at the sound of my voice, probably not hearing me walk up behind him. He quickly recovered though, "Yes Danielle?"

"I was wondering about the cafeteria food. Is it gross? Should I take my lunch instead?"

"I think it's fine, but I know some the ladies complain about it being unhealthy."

"Hmmm. Thanks."

I walked back to Esme, "Looks like I need to buy a lunchbox tomorrow too."

She nodded, "Are we all done?"

"I think so." We made our way back up to the checkout line, where David rang up all the groceries. I heard voices outside and then the door opened. In walked three teenage boys, probably friends of David. "Damn, she is fine," I heard one of them mutter to another. _"Oh great," _I thought. Esme tried to hide a smile. "Why, hello Mrs. Cullen; fancy meeting you here," said of the boys.

"Hello, Jared," Esme said as she turned back to David to pay for the groceries. I tried to ignore their whispering as it was making me uncomfortable.

Esme went to push the cart full of groceries outside, but Jared stopped her, "Let us get those for you Mrs. Cullen."

"Thank you Jared, that's sweet of you."

As the five of us walked out to the Suburban, Jared spoke up, "Aren't you going to introduce us to your cousin, Mrs. Cullen?" So David had called them and told them about me. Wow; that was fast.

"Of course, Jared. This is my cousin's daughter Danielle; she just moved here from Texas and will be starting at Forks High School as a freshman in a couple weeks."

"Hi," I said as I waved half-heartedly.

"Hey," the three boys answered. "I'm Jared," Jared said, as he loaded groceries into the trunk. "I'm Ryan," said another. "And I'm Kyle," said the third one.

"It's nice to meet all of you. Esme, we should get home so the ice cream doesn't melt."

"Of course, dear. Good to see you boys. Thank you for the help," Esme said as we got in the Suburban.

"Bye," said the boys as we left.

"Well," said Esme, "David sure started telling people quicker than I thought he would."

"Seriously. I feel like I need a shower. Did you hear what they said about me?"

Esme just looked at me and arched an eyebrow. "Oh, right, of course you heard. Sorry, I'm still not used to being around vampires."

She smiled, "It's fine, Danielle. I would like to say it'll get better, but the boys are teenagers and their hormones, and well, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Esme. And it's not your fault." We pulled up to the house and Jasper met us to help unload the groceries. "Hey. I missed you," I said as I gave him a hug. I saw him look up at Esme, who just shrugged.

"I missed you too. Is everything alright?"

I nodded, "It will be if you kiss me."

"Now how could I resist an offer like that," he said as he leaned down and captured my lips with his own.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N:** Three more reviews and one more favorite! Thank you guys! Oh, and my new update schedule is: Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. Until I change it again :)

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER THIRTYFOUR**

**(JPOV)**

She headed out to the garage and I heard the car drive away. I ran out back where my brothers were waiting; Emmett immediately tackled me. I got away and dropped into a crouch, waiting for a chance to take him down. Then Edward decided to get in on the action. Fighting with Edward was harder; since he could read my thoughts, I had to act on instinct, instead of planning. We wrestled around, trying not to hurt each other. We did hurt several trees, some bushes and some rocks, though. It was great to spend time with my brothers. We ran and hunted some and joked around. They gave me a hard time about Danielle and me making out in the bathroom, but it didn't really bother me; I was just so happy she was in my life.

We spent a couple of hours together, before I heard the Suburban on the driveway. I looked at my brothers, torn between hanging out with them and going to see Danielle. "Go ahead," said Edward, "I bet she wants to see you too." I smiled at them and ran to the garage, just as Esme pulled the Suburban in. Danielle's face lit up when she saw me. She hurried and got out of the car.

"Hey. I missed you," she said hugged me. I looked at Esme, who just shrugged.

"I missed you too. Is everything alright?"

She nodded, "It will be if you kiss me."

"Now how could I resist an offer like that," I said as I leaned down and captured her lips with my own. Esme left as alone for a minute, before she tapped her foot. Oh right, groceries. I reluctantly pulled away from Danielle's embrace, "I need to carry in the groceries."

"Oh, right. Sorry."

I kissed her forehead, "Never apologize for that." She grinned at me and grabbed a couple bags from the trunk before running inside with them.

I was able to get all the rest of the bags in one trip and took them into the kitchen, where Esme and Danielle were putting them away. Edward smirked at me, "Apparently the news of Danielle's arrival has already started spreading around the town. And she has several admirers."

I looked up at him in surprise. "What?"

He nodded to the kitchen, "Why don't you ask them yourself?"

"Fine," I said as I walked into the kitchen, "So what did you two do this afternoon?"

Danielle looked up at me and grinned, "Esme took me to Port Angeles for some girl time and I got a hot fudge brownie sundae and it was awesome!" She and Esme both giggled and continued putting away groceries, sorting through the old ones as they went.

"How was grocery shopping?"

Danielle looked at me confused, "Um, fine. It's a small store, you know, but I was able to find stuff I liked."

I noticed Esme was avoiding eye contact with me. "Esme? Is everything okay?"

She looked at me, desperately trying to conceal a smile, "Just fine, Jasper. We had a wonderful afternoon together."

"So nothing interesting happened?" I asked as I sat down at the bar.

"I met some of the locals at the grocery store," Danielle said as she opened up and smelled a container from the refrigerator. She grimaced and threw it away.

"Oh? That sounds interesting to me. Where they nice to you?" Esme was shaking with silent laughter, at my horrible attempt to find out what happened. Luckily, Danielle was too busy digging around in the fridge to notice.

"Yeah, there was David; he worked at the grocery store and I think he has a crush on Esme," she giggled. "Esme introduced us, and while we were there shopping he must've somehow contacted his friends, because as we were checking out, three more guys came in."

I tried to appear interested but not _*too*_ interested. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Um, Jared, Ryan and Kyle."

I couldn't help the growl that escaped my chest. "Jared?"

She looked at me concerned, "Yes. They loaded the groceries up in the car too. They seemed alright. Well, they made some comments about me, not knowing I could hear them of course. Is there something wrong with Jared?"

_"Edward, some help here!" _I thought. He immediately came into the kitchen. "My contact with Jared has been limited, since we haven't lived here long, but what I do know is he's a jerk. A horny jerk."

"Well, that sums it up quite nicely; Thanks Edward," I said.

"You're welcome," he said as he headed back to the piano.

"Wait," said Danielle, as she closed the fridge, "You're jealous? Of that stuck-up, self-centered human?" She grinned widely, then started giggling. "Oh Jasper," she came over and hugged me, "You don't have anything to worry about. They're juniors; I doubt I'll have any classes with them and you're the only one I want to be with. Besides, Esme thought this could be a good thing; they'll tell everyone they know about me and by the time school starts, I'll be old news!"

I laughed, "You'll never be old news, Danielle."

She shoved me playfully, "You know what I mean."

"Danielle? Would you go through your clothes and see what you need to buy tomorrow on our shopping trip?" asked Esme, "I know you mentioned a lunch box, and I assume you need a backpack and school supplies, correct?"

"Yes, Esme. I'll go look through my closet, but I doubt I'll need much; you stocked it very well."

"Need some help?"

"Sure Jasper." We headed up to her room and started sorting through her closet. "Jasper? Do I need any fancy dresses? Do they have dances here?

"Wow. I have no idea. I guess you could get a few just in case."

"No, because I don't know how formal of a dress I need. Do you think Esme would take me shopping later if I needed one?"

I smiled at her, "Of course she would, Danielle."

She smiled back at me, "Sweet. Well, I have plenty of jeans and shirts, so I guess I should look at getting a couple of skirts, maybe some dress pants and a few blouses. Oh, and a wedding dress."

My jaw dropped, "A wedding dress?" I managed to squeak out.

"Yeah, you know to wear to a wedding. I have to have one nice outfit, just in case."

"Oh, right. You do realize we're not a very social family, right?"

She looked at me in surprise, "Doesn't Carlisle have fundraisers and social events and such that he has to go to?"

I nodded, "Yeah, but we don't normally go with him."

"Oh. Okay," she looked down at the ground, "Guess I don't need any nice clothes then."

Esme stuck her head in, "Nonsense, Danielle. I think it would be great for this family to be more social; it would certainly help us fit in. You can pick out some more formal clothes tomorrow."

Danielle's face lit up, "Okay. I need to try on some of these clothes; hold on." She shut the door to the closet and changed inside.

Several minutes later, she opened up the door, "Everything fits! It's amazing!" I just smiled at her, glad she was so happy. "I'm so excited about our trip tomorrow; I've never been to Seattle before."

"You'll love it. There's a lot to see and do and the downtown is full of shopping. And there's a pretty cool art museum; I bet we go there often, so you can see it all."

"I'd like that, Jasper."

"Danielle? Do you need to eat something dear?" Esme asked as she poked her head in the room.

Danielle looked at the clock above her dresser, "Wow, yes I do. Thank you for reminding me." We headed downstairs to the kitchen and Danielle and I made her a steak and a baked potato.

"Don't you need a vegetable?"

She stuck her tongue out at me and grabbed some carrots from the fridge. "Happy?"

We sat down at the bar while she ate, enjoying each others company. When she finished, we went to the living room. "Would you like to watch a movie?" I asked.

"Yeah, that'd be great."


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: **Two more reviews, one more alert and one more favorite! Thank you!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER THIRTYFIVE**

**(DPOV)**

I nodded, "It will be if you kiss me."

"Now how could I resist an offer like that," he said as he leaned down and captured my lips with his own. We kissed for about a minute before Jasper reluctantly pulled away, "I need to carry in the groceries."

"Oh, right. Sorry."

He kissed my forehead, "Never apologize for that." I grinned at him and grabbed a couple bags from the trunk before running inside with them. Esme and I put the groceries away, while cleaning out the old food. Jasper came in carrying all the rest of the bags. "So what did you two do this afternoon?"

I looked up at him and grinned, "Esme took me to Port Angeles for some girl time and I got a hot fudge brownie sundae and it was awesome!" Esme and I giggled and continued putting away groceries.

"How was grocery shopping?"

"Um, fine. It's a small store, you know, but I was able to find stuff I liked."

He looked at Esme, "Esme? Is everything okay?"

"Just fine, Jasper. We had a wonderful afternoon together."

"So nothing interesting happened?" he asked as he sat down at the bar.

"I met some of the locals at the grocery store," I said as I opened up and smelled a container of yogurt from the refrigerator. Expired. Gross. I threw it away.

"Oh? That sounds interesting to me. Where they nice to you?"

"Yeah, there was David; he worked at the grocery store and I think he has a crush on Esme," I giggled. "Esme introduced us, and while we were there shopping he must've somehow contacted his friends, because as we were checking out, three more guys came in."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Um, Jared, Ryan and Kyle."

Jasper growled, "Jared?"

I looked at him concerned, "Yes. They loaded the groceries up in the car too. They seemed alright. Well, they made some comments about me, not knowing I could hear them of course. Is there something wrong with Jared?"

Edward came into the kitchen. "My contact with Jared has been limited, since we haven't lived here long, but what I do know is he's a jerk. A horny jerk."

"Well, that sums it up quite nicely; Thanks Edward," said Jasper.

"You're welcome," he said as he left the room.

"Wait," I said, as I closed the fridge, "You're jealous? Of that stuck-up, self-centered human?" I grinned, then started giggling. "Oh Jasper," I went over and hugged him, "You don't have anything to worry about. They're juniors; I doubt I'll have any classes with them and you're the only one I want to be with. Besides, Esme thought this could be a good thing; they'll tell everyone they know about me and by the time school starts, I'll be old news!"

He laughed, "You'll never be old news, Danielle."

I shoved him playfully, "You know what I mean."

"Danielle? Would you go through your clothes and see what you need to buy tomorrow on our shopping trip?" asked Esme, "I know you mentioned a lunch box, and I assume you need a backpack and school supplies, correct?"

"Yes, Esme. I'll go look through my closet, but I doubt I'll need much; you stocked it very well."

"Need some help?"

"Sure Jasper." We headed up to my room and started sorting through my closet. "Jasper? Do I need any fancy dresses? Do they have dances here?"

"Wow. I have no idea. I guess you could get a few just in case."

"No, because I don't know how formal of a dress I need. Do you think Esme would take me shopping later if I needed one?"

He smiled at me, "Of course she would, Danielle."

I smiled back at him, "Sweet. Well, I have plenty of jeans and shirts, so I guess I should look at getting a couple of skirts, maybe some dress pants and a few blouses. Oh, and a wedding dress."

His jaw dropped, "A wedding dress?"

"Yeah, you know to wear to a wedding. I have to have one nice outfit, just in case."

"Oh, right. You do realize we're not a very social family, right?"

"Doesn't Carlisle have fundraisers and social events and such that he has to go to?"

He nodded, "Yeah, but we don't normally go with him."

"Oh. Okay, guess I don't need any nice clothes then."

Esme stuck her head in, "Nonsense, Danielle. I think it would be great for this family to be more social; it would certainly help us fit in. You can pick out some more formal clothes tomorrow."

Sweet! "Okay. I need to try on some of these clothes; hold on." I shut the door to the closet and changed inside.

Several minutes later, I opened the door, "Everything fits! It's amazing!" Jasper smiled at me. "I'm so excited about our trip tomorrow; I've never been to Seattle before."

"You'll love it. There's a lot to see and do and the downtown is full of shopping. And there's a pretty cool art museum; I bet we go there often, so you can see it all."

"I'd like that, Jasper."

"Danielle? Do you need to eat something dear?" Esme asked as she poked her head in the room. I looked at the clock above my dresser, "Wow, yes I do. Thank you for reminding me." We headed downstairs to the kitchen and Jasper and I made me a steak and a baked potato. "Don't you need a vegetable?" I stuck my tongue out at him and grabbed some carrots from the fridge. "Happy?" We sat down at the bar while I ate, enjoying each others company. When I finished, we went to the living room. "Would you like to watch a movie?" Jasper asked me. "Yeah, that'd be great."

I went through the DVD collection and chose "Monster's Inc." "This is one of my favorites," I told Jasper, "I even have some of the toys. Boo is just so cute!" We snuggled together on the couch and watched the movie. Jasper wrapped his arm around my shoulder and I leaned into him while I watched the movie. I heard the backdoor open and Edward and Emmett left the house. I looked at Jasper but he just shrugged.

After the movie was over, Esme came in and suggested I head to bed, since we would be getting up early and heading to Seattle. "Yes! Shopping!" I exclaimed, as I went upstairs and got ready for bed. Jasper came in and gave me a good night kiss, and I fell right asleep.


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N:** Two more reviews, two more alerts, and two more favorites! Thank you guys so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying my story!!!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER THIRTY SIX**

**(JPOV)**

"Would you like to watch a movie?"

"Yeah, that'd be great." She went through our DVD collection and chose "Monster's Inc." "This is one of my favorites," she said with a huge smile, "I even have some of the toys. Boo is just so cute!" We snuggled together on the couch and watched the movie. Well, Danielle watched the movie and I watched her watching the movie. She kept making little expressions and sounds and laughing even though she knew what was going to happen. It was great. Plus, I had my arm around her shoulders and she had her very warm hand on my knee, and kept making these little patterns on it. I heard Edward and Emmet leave the house, probably because of the emotions I was giving them. I tried to rein them in and concentrate on the movie. Danielle looked up at me when she heard the door, but I just shrugged at her.

After the movie was over, Esme came in and suggested Danielle head to bed, since we would be getting up early and heading to Seattle. "Yes! Shopping!" she exclaimed, as she went upstairs and got ready for bed. I waited until I heard her go back in her bedroom, before I knocked on the door. "Come in!" She was already in bed, so I just kissed her goodnight and wished her sweet dreams. I went to my room and listened to her fall asleep, before I went outside to find my brother.

"Dude! Jazz, you were killing me in there," exclaimed Emmett as I caught up with them.

"Yeah, I'm sorry you two. I'm trying to control it, but I'm not doing very well. Esme thinks it's just because these are new feelings to me, and that I'll get better."

"I agree," said Edward, "but we did need to go hunting before the Seattle trip anyways. Ready?" I nodded and we took off. None of us wanted deer, so we ran for quite a while before we finally found some mountain lions. We each got one, and I drained an elk, just to be on the safe side. We talked and wrestled around some, before we headed back to the house to get ready for the trip.

It took us a little while to get home, since we had run so far. When we got home, I noticed Esme and Carlisle weren't home; they must've taken a trip of their own, probably because of all the emotions I had sent Esme all day. I also noticed Danielle was still asleep. I headed into the bathroom and took a quick shower and got dressed. I heard Danielle tossing and turning, so I went back to my room and waited for her to wake up. She woke up about 10 minutes later and yawned and stretched, before she went to her closet. I heard her rummage around for a while and then she went into the bathroom for a human moment. But then she turned on the shower. I knew I should leave my room, to give her some privacy, but I was frozen, listening to the water run down her naked body. Oh God. "Jasper!" "Sorry guys." She turned off the water and I forced myself to go downstairs and make her some breakfast.

I heard her start blowing drying her hair, while I rummaged around the fridge. I found some turkey bacon and cooked that up while I made her French toast. "Wow Jasper, that smells amazing. Thanks for making me breakfast"

"You're welcome," I said as I turned to see her. She had on a tight black top with Hello Kitty playing guitar on it and another pair of tight flare jeans. And sneakers. "You look amazing." She blushed and looked down. "Are those Converses?"

"Nope," she said as she lifted up her pant leg a little, "Vans."

"I like them."

"Thank you." She sat down at the bar and put the plate of food in front of her and got her a glass of milk. I sat down next to her as she ate.

The back door opened and Carlisle and Esme came in. "Good morning," they said as they rushed upstairs.

"Is Carlisle going with us today?"

"No. Carlisle doesn't shop."

"Yeah, he doesn't seem like the shopping type."

Edward came down to the kitchen, smug as usual. I really hoped he would find something to jolt him out of the melancholy state he was always in. He gave me a small smile at my thoughts; I knew he didn't like existing that way either, but it was very hard for a vampire to change. He wrinkled his nose at the bacon, "Did you sleep alright, Danielle?"

"I did, thank you," she smiled widely and bounced a little in her seat, "I'm *so* excited about our shopping trip today. Aren't you?

Edward smiled back at her, "Actually, I am. I enjoy Seattle and am hoping to get some new music."

"Music? Oh, I guess that's cool too. I like shoes better." I chuckled at that. "What are you looking forward to, Jasper?"

"Spending the day with you," I said. She smiled and finished eating her breakfast.

I quickly cleaned up the kitchen and Emmett came down. "Dude! Can't wait to go check out the ladies." Danielle giggled and Edward and I rolled our eyes. Danielle went back upstairs to brush her teeth then came back downstairs with Esme. "Everyone ready to go?" We all nodded and headed out to the Suburban.

Edward and Emmett sat in the far back, while Danielle and I sat on the middle bench and Esme drove. We made really good time, and reached the downtown a little after 10, just as most of the stores were opening. I knew from experience that we'd stay until the stores closed too. I had to make sure Danielle ate and rested, because this was going to be a shop-till-you-drop day.

We started at the Nordstrom in Pacific Place, where I went off to shop with my brothers. The three of us were able to find most of the clothes we needed, so Edward and Emmett headed off on their own after we took our purchases back out to the car. I found Esme and Danielle in the shoe department (shock!). Danielle had found some Ferragamo shoes she just loved, "But they're $790!!!" she exclaimed.

I looked at Esme and we both shrugged. "So?" I asked.

"I don't have that much money," Danielle whispered.

"Is that the problem, dear? Why didn't you say so?" Esme reached into her purse and pulled out an American Express Centurion Card and handed it to Danielle. "Why don't you just use this today, Danielle? You can buy whatever you need for school this year. Okay?"

Danielle's jaw dropped and she just stared at the card, "Um, okay Esme; that sounds great." She gave Esme a big hug.


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: **Two more favorites, one more story alert and two more reviews! Thank you!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER THIRTYSEVEN**

**(DPOV)**

After the movie was over, Esme came in and suggested I head to bed, since we would be getting up early and heading to Seattle. "Yes! Shopping!" I exclaimed, as I went upstairs and got ready for bed. Jasper came in and gave me a good night kiss, and I fell right asleep.

I woke up a few hours later, very well rested. No dreams, no difficulty sleeping; it was great. I stretched, then went to my closet and picked out my clothes for the day. I went to the bathroom and took a shower and got dressed before I headed downstairs. Jasper was hard at work making French toast and turkey bacon. "Wow Jasper, that smells amazing. Thanks for making me breakfast."

"You're welcome," he said as he turned around and checked me out. "You look amazing." I blushed and looked down. "Are those Converses?"

"Nope," I said as I lifted up my pant leg a little to show him my shoes, "Vans."

"I like them."

"Thank you." I sat down at the bar and he put the plate of food in front of me and got me a glass of milk. He sat down next to me as I ate.

The back door opened and Carlisle and Esme came in. "Good morning," they said as they rushed upstairs.

"Is Carlisle going with us today?"

"No. Carlisle doesn't shop."

"Yeah, he doesn't seem like the shopping type."

Edward came down to the kitchen, "Did you sleep alright, Danielle?"

"I did, thank you," I smiled widely at him, pleased that he had spoke to me. I still wasn't totally sure he was okay with me being in the family. "I'm *so* excited about our shopping trip today. Aren't you?"

Edward smiled back at me, "Actually, I am. I enjoy Seattle and am hoping to get some new music."

"Music? Oh, I guess that's cool too. I like shoes better." Jasper chuckled. "What are you looking forward to, Jasper?"

"Spending the day with you." I smiled and finished eating my breakfast.

Emmett came down. "Dude! Can't wait to go check out the ladies." I giggled and Edward and Jasper rolled their eyes. I went back upstairs to brush my teeth then came back downstairs with Esme. "Everyone ready to go?" We all nodded and headed out to the Suburban.

Edward and Emmett sat in the far back, while Jasper and I sat on the middle bench and Esme drove. The trip didn't take long, even though we went through Tacoma to avoid the ferries, since Esme drove like a Cullen. We reached the downtown a little after 10AM, just as most of the stores were opening. We started at the Nordstrom in Pacific Place. The boys went off to shop while Esme and I stopped at the makeup counter, before heading to shoes. Esme seemed to like shoes more than I did. We tried on pair after pair, and I found some gorgeous black leather strappy heels that would be perfect with a formal gown. Jasper came over and smiled at us; he didn't seem surprised that we hadn't made it over to clothes yet. "Are you going to get those shoes?" asked Esme.

"I love them, but they're $790!!!"

Esme and Jasper looked at each other and shrugged. "So?" Jasper asked.

"I don't have that much money," I whispered.

"Is that the problem, dear? Why didn't you say so?" Esme reached into her purse and pulled out a black American Express card and handed it to me. "Why don't you just use this today, Danielle? You can buy whatever you need for school this year. Okay?"

My jaw dropped and I just stared at the card, "Um, okay Esme; that sounds great." I stood up and quickly gave Esme a big hug.

"Where are your brothers?" I asked Jasper, after we'd bought the shoes.

He smiled at me, "They finished clothes shopping."

"Already? Wow. I haven't even started."

"I know." I shoved him playfully and the three of us headed over to misses to look for clothes.

Esme found many things she liked, but I only found a few. "Why don't you two go on ahead? I'll meet up with you later.

"Okay Esme. Thanks again for everything." Jasper and I left Nordstrom and headed back to the shopping center. We went in store after store and bought me several pairs of dress pants and a few blouses and some accessories. I noticed that Jasper was very curious about my taste in jewelry.

After a couple hours of shopping, I needed a break. "I heard there's a good Italian place here, if you'd like to eat lunch there." "That sounds good." We headed to the restaurant. We ordered Pizza Margherita to "share" and I got a side salad. Jasper convinced me to order tiramisu for dessert. Everything was delicious, and I left stuffed.

We met up with Esme at Barneys New York, where we again went a little crazy. Jasper took some of our packages back out to the car, while Esme and I looked at more shoes. I hadn't spent too much money after we left Nordstrom, but I still wasn't comfortable buying $1000 shoes either. Esme assured me that it was alright, but didn't pressure me to buy anything.

"Well I think we're finished here, don't you Danielle?" Esme asked me.

"Yeah, we hit all the stores I wanted."

"Alright." She pulled out her phone and sent texts to Edward and Emmett, telling them we were leaving. The three of us headed out to the car, but the boys weren't there yet. "Where are Edward and Emmett? We can't leave without them?"

"Oh, we're not going home yet, Danielle. I just meant we'd leave this shopping area and go to another. Is that okay?"

I looked at the trunk which was overflowing with packages. "Sure, sounds fun."

We headed over to Rainier Square, where I found a gorgeous purple, one-shoulder formal dress. "This would go perfectly with my new shoes!" I acclaimed.

"You're right. We'll get that for you, Danielle." Before I knew it, the dress was packaged up for me, with matching earrings.

"Wow. Thank you, Esme."

"No problem, dear. I'm just glad to have another woman shop with me." We both giggled.

Jasper was sitting down on a couch by the dressing rooms. "You doing alright?" I asked him as I sat down next to him.

"I'm doing better now," he said as he gave me a quick kiss. "I can't wait to see that dress on you," he whispered to me. We cuddled while Esme shopped. When she finished, she sent Jasper to look at men's clothes while we went to a fancy lingerie store. We acted like a couple of kids in a candy store. I picked out way more stuff than I needed, especially since no one would see it besides me. At least Esme had Carlisle and I was sure he would be appreciative of her purchases.

We went back to Pacific Place and stopped in a Starbucks. I got an orange cream soda and a pastry. "Man," I said to Jasper and Esme, "I think I learned n the meaning of shop-till-you-drop today." They grinned at me.

"I'm ready to go home, if you are Danielle, "said Esme.

"Yeah, I had a great day, but I'm a little tired." We went back out to the car, where Edward and Emmett were waiting for us. "Did yall have fun?" I asked them, as Jasper and I got in the Suburban.

Edward nodded and Emmett exclaimed, "Hell yeah! I found some hot young things. Woo boy! They didn't make them like that when I was young!"

"Oh wait, Esme! I didn't buy any school supplies!"

"You're right. Where would you like to go?"

"Um, is there a Target nearby?"


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: **Two more reviews, one more story alert and three more favorites! Thank you! If you enjoy this story, please consider adding it to your favorites or story alerts. :)

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER THIRTYEIGHT**

**(JPOV)**

"Where are your brothers?" Danielle asked me, after we'd bought the shoes.

"They finished clothes shopping."

"Already? Wow. I haven't even started."

"I know." She shoved me playfully and the three of us headed over to misses to look for clothes. Esme found many things she liked, but Danielle only found a few. "Why don't you two go on ahead? I'll meet up with you later."

"Okay Esme. Thanks again for everything." We left Nordstrom and headed back to the shopping center. We went in store after store and Danielle bought several pairs of dress pants and a few blouses. I noticed that she checked the prices on everything she bought and didn't spend over $100 on one item. She picked out some jewelry, but it was all inexpensive sterling silver. I watched her carefully, thinking about possible presents to get her in the near future.

After a couple hours of shopping, Danielle needed a break.

"I heard there's a good Italian place here, if you'd like to eat lunch there."

"That sounds good." We headed to the restaurant. We ordered Pizza Margherita to "share" and she got a side salad. Our server tried to sell us some dessert, and I could tell Danielle wanted some, so I told her to order the tiramisu for dessert. She said everything was delicious, and she was stuffed.

We met up with Esme at Barneys New York, where the ladies shopped some more. Most of the guys around where obviously bored and didn't want to be there, but I was happy spending time with Danielle, even if that meant shopping. She held my hand when we walked around as I carried her purchases for her. They bought some more stuff though and I could carry it, but it looked suspicious, so I took an arm-full of packages back out to the car, while Esme and Danielle looked at more shoes. When I got back, Esme had a couple more shoeboxes, but Danielle was empty handed.

"Well I think we're finished here, don't you Danielle?" Esme asked.

"Yeah, we hit all the stores I wanted."

"Alright." She pulled out her phone and sent texts to Edward and Emmett, telling them we were leaving. The three of us headed out to the car.

"Where are Edward and Emmett? We can't leave without them?"

"Oh, we're not going home yet, Danielle. I just meant we'd leave this shopping area and go to another. Is that okay?"

Danielle looked at the trunk which was overflowing with packages. "Sure, sounds fun."

We headed over to Rainier Square. I sat down on a couch by the dressing rooms while they shopped. Danielle found a purple, one-shoulder formal dress. "This would go perfectly with my new shoes!" she acclaimed.

"You're right. We'll get that for you, Danielle." They packaged up the dress for her, with matching earrings.

"Wow. Thank you, Esme."

"No problem, dear. I'm just glad to have another woman shop with me." They giggled.

Danielle walked over to me, "You doing alright?" she asked as she sat down next to me.

"I'm doing better now," I said as I gave her a quick kiss. "I can't wait to see that dress on you," I whispered to her. We cuddled while Esme shopped. When she finished, she sent me to look at men's clothes while they went to a "woman's store." I had already seen a sign for a lingerie store, so I figured that's where they were going. I didn't really want to shop any, so I sat down on a bench by the men's clothes and waited for them to return. They were gone for a little while, but returned with big smiles and several packages.

We then went back to Pacific Place and stopped in a Starbucks where Danielle got an orange cream soda and a pastry. "Man," she said to us, "I think I learned n the meaning of shop-till-you-drop today." We grinned at her.

"I'm ready to go home, if you are Danielle, "said Esme.

"Yeah, I had a great day, but I'm a little tired." We went back out to the car, where Edward and Emmett were waiting for us. "Did yall have fun?" Danielle asked them, as she and I got in the Suburban.

Edward nodded and Emmett exclaimed, "Hell yeah! I found some hot young things. Woo boy! They didn't make them like that when I was young!"

"Oh wait, Esme! I didn't buy any school supplies!"

"You're right. Where would you like to go?"

"Um, is there a Target nearby?"

"A Target? Is that really where you want to go?"

Danielle nodded, "Yeah, I always buy school supplies there." Esme drove to the nearest Target.

"Is this going to take long?" asked Emmett from the backseat, "Can I stay in the car?"

"I'll be quick," answered Danielle. Esme and my brothers stayed in the car while Danielle and I went in. We headed to the back of the store where Danielle quickly picked out a purple lunch box, thermos and backpack, as well as paper, spirals, pens, folders and anything else she thought she'd need. She picked out basics, but I convinced her to get fancier stuff; I knew she was just trying to save money and she didn't need to. After she got everything, we went up front and checked out and made it back to car in 22 minutes.

Edward looked at his watch, impressed, as we got back in the Suburban. "Did you get everything you need, Danielle?"

"Yes, I did. Thank you for stopping Esme."

"Not a problem, dear." She started driving back to Forks, while Danielle yawned, and leaned on my shoulder.

"Do you want to lie down? I can move upfront, so you can have the bench to yourself."

She shook her head, "Please stay." I couldn't refuse that, but I was worried my hard shoulder was uncomfortable to her. _"Edward? Could you get me the hoodie I bought today?" _I thought. He rummaged around some bags and passed it to me. I offered it to Danielle, "Maybe you could use this as a pillow?" She smiled at me and folded the hoodie up and placed it in my lap, then laid down, with her head in my lap. Wow.

"Didn't you want to talk to me about something?" Danielle asked. Emmett and Edward froze and Esme was curious.

"We can talk later, Danielle." She nodded and closed her eyes. Great, now Esme's curious. I bet she thinks I'm going to ask Danielle to be my girlfriend. I saw Edward nod out of the corner of my eye. And I am, but really we're going to talk about sex. Well, I'm going to try. God. I stroked Danielle's hair as she relaxed in my lap; she wasn't sleeping, but I could tell she was worn out after a full day of shopping.

By the time we made it back to Forks, Danielle had fallen asleep. I carried her to her room and took off her sneakers before setting her under the covers of her bed. As I let go of her though, she mumbled, "Stay." I froze, not believing I heard her correctly. She mumbled again, "Please."

"Okay, I'll stay." I let go of her and took off my own shoes, then got into bed with her, holding her while she slept.


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N:** Two reviews! Thanks so much!

Oh no! The dreaded writers block has struck! I know where I want this story to go eventually, but getting there is tricky. I will try to update on Thurs as planned, but we'll see what happens!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER THIRTYNINE**

**(DPOV)**

"Oh wait, Esme! I didn't buy any school supplies!"

"You're right. Where would you like to go?"

"Um, is there a Target nearby?"

"A Target? Is that really where you want to go?" I nodded, "Yeah, I always buy school supplies there."

Esme drove to the nearest Target. "Is this going to take long?" asked Emmett from the backseat, "Can I stay in the car?"

"I'll be quick," I answered. Esme, Edward and Emmett stayed in the car while Jasper and I went in. We headed to the back of the store where I quickly picked out a purple lunch box, thermos and backpack, as well as paper, spirals, pens, folders and anything else I thought I'd need. I picked out basics, but Jasper convinced me to get fancier stuff so I did. After I got everything, we went up front and checked out and made it back to car in about 20 minutes.

Edward looked at his watch, impressed, as we got back in the Suburban. "Did you get everything you need, Danielle?"

"Yes, I did. Thank you for stopping Esme."

"Not a problem, dear." She started driving back to Forks, and I suddenly realized I was worn out.

I yawned, and laid my head on Jasper's shoulder. "Do you want to lie down? I can move upfront, so you can have the bench to yourself."

I shook my head, "Please stay." I heard Edward dig through some bags, before passing something to Jasper, which he offered to me.

"Maybe you could use this as a pillow?" he said, as he handed me a hoodie. I smiled at him, folded up the hoodie and placed it in his lap, then laid down, with my head in my lap.

Suddenly, I remembered something, "Didn't you want to talk to me about something?"

"We can talk later, Danielle." I nodded and closed my eyes. Jasper stroked my hair as I relaxed in his lap; I was worn out after a full day of shopping.

Sometime on the ride home, I fell asleep. I felt the car stop and Jasper moved me off his lap, so he could pick me up. He carried me to my room and took off my sneakers before putting me under the covers of my bed. He let go of me thought, and I mumbled, "Stay." He just froze, so I mumbled again, "Please."

"Okay, I'll stay," he said softly, as he took off his shoes, and then got into bed with me, holding me while I slept.

I slept peacefully, and woke up in Jasper's embrace. I could hear the smile in his voice as he said, "Good morning."

"Mmm. Morning," I said as I stretched out.

"I'd ask if you slept well, but…."

I giggled, "I did." I rolled over so I faced him, "Thank you for staying."

He pushed the hair off my face, "Thank you for letting me." My stomach growled. "Well, I guess it's time for breakfast. Would you like chocolate chip pancakes?"

"That sounds great." He went downstairs to cook for me and I headed to the bathroom.

As I was brushing my teeth, I realized that Jasper had just spent the night with me! And the whole family knew about it! Oh no, I knew Emmett was going to give me a hard time about it. Then I thought about how old-fashioned Jasper was. Did he actually want to stay with me? Did he think I was too forward? I groaned. "Are you okay?" came Esme's concerned voice through the door.

"I'm fine; just a little groggy," I answered.

"I think your breakfast is ready."

"I'll be right down." I quickly brushed my hair and pulled it up in a ponytail before I headed downstairs.

There was a plate of pancakes and a glass of chocolate milk waiting for me at the bar, so I sat down and ate them. Esme came in to check on me. "Is your breakfast good, Danielle?"

"Yes it is; thank you. Where's everyone else?"

She looked at me, almost embarrassed. "Well, Jasper was in here cooking and Emmett came in and said some things that annoyed Jasper, but they know better than to fight in the house, so as soon as your breakfast was ready, the three boys headed outside. Carlisle is already at the hospital."

"Oh. Okay. What are you doing today?"

"Well," she said as she sat down next to me, "we've only lived in this house for a little while, you know, so I spend a lot of time renovating and decorating it."

I looked around, "Everything looks beautiful to me."

"Thank you. I'm more-or-less finished with the living room, dining room and kitchen, but some of the upstairs rooms… oh and the outside."

"Yeah, the outside could use some landscaping."

"Exactly! So that's the sort of things I do during the day."

"Cool. Well I'm going to go take a shower and stuff."

"Of course, dear."

I headed up to my bathroom and got ready for my day. I was supposed to meet Carlisle at the hospital after lunch, which was several hours away, since I'd fallen asleep earlier than normal and therefore, got up earlier than normal. I put on a pair of flare jeans, a black tank top that laced up the sides and my combat boots. I dug through my small jewelry collection and found a black vinyl chocker and big hoop earrings. Perfect. I heard the backdoor open and shut, so I went downstairs to see the boys. "Hi."

"Hey Danielle!" exclaimed Emmett, with a wink.

I grinned back at him, "Do yall know where I could find my purchases from our trip?"

"We put them in Jasper's room," answered Edward.

"I'll help you get them," said Jasper as we headed upstairs to his room.

He grabbed all my shopping bags and ran them into my room, and helped me put everything away. While we were hanging up my new clothes, I heard a loud trunk approach. "Sweet! My boxes from Texas!" Jasper smiled at me and we kept hanging up clothes. Esme answered the door and spoke briefly with the delivery man; he placed all my boxes in the living room and Emmett brought them up to my room as soon as the guy left. "Thanks Emmett."

"No problem Danielle. More stuff for Jasper to put away." Jasper growled at Emmett, who just laughed. I grabbed one box and started digging around inside.

"Well, since we finished putting away my clothes, would you like to see my life?" I asked as I held up two large photo albums.

He grinned at me, "I'd love to." We both laid down on my bed on our stomachs and flipped through the photo album. I explained who everyone was and what was happening in each photo.

Jasper looked enthralled. "You seem awfully interested in this, Jasper."

"Yeah, I am. I mean, I don't remember hardly anything from my human life, much less my childhood, but you have all these memories and photographs to go with it. It's cool to see."

I smiled, "I hadn't thought of it that way. Do you think the rest of your family would like to see?"

"Yes!" came Emmett's voice from downstairs. We laughed and carried the photo albums downstairs. Esme and Emmett were eagerly waiting on the sofa, while Edward was looking bored, sitting on a side chair. I sat down on the couch, between Esme and Emmett, and opened up the photo album. I realized Edward was reading the others' thoughts, instead of looking at the pictures, as he also asked questions about the pictures, even though he couldn't see them from his chair. We finished looking through the photo album with pictures pre-high school, when I realized I needed to eat lunch and meet Carlisle for my appointment. Esme made me a turkey sandwich, which I quickly ate, and then she drove me up to the hospital.

"Hi. I'm Danielle. I have an appointment with Dr. Cullen," I said to the receptionist.

"Oh yes, he mentioned you'd be coming in today and said for you to go to his office and wait for him if he wasn't there."

"Okay, thank you," I said as I headed towards his office. I knocked, then went inside. He wasn't there, so I sat down in one of his chairs and waited.

He came in a few minutes later and smiled, "Hi Danielle, sorry to keep you waiting."

"Oh it's no problem."

"Now I know we've completed several tests concerning your abilities, and I'm analyzed your samples, but I haven't talked to you about some of your possible human characteristics. Danielle, I'm going to be blunt, have you started your menstrual cycle?"


	40. Chapter 40

A/N: Well, good news and bad news. Good news - I finally started the internship I applied for last summer! Bad news - I have a lot less free time! Here's a new chapter and more are in the works. Thank for reading!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FORTY**

**(JPOV)**

I let go of her and took off my own shoes, then got into bed with her, holding her while she slept. She slept peacefully, but squirmed some and made these cute little sounds. She also kicked her feet a lot. It was adorable. She slept for a couple hours longer than normal too, but I could tell from her heartbeat and breathing when she woke up. "Good morning."

"Mmm. Morning," she said as she stretched.

"I'd ask if you slept well, but…."

She giggled, "I did." She rolled over and faced me, "Thank you for staying."

Like I could have refused her. I pushed the hair off her face, "Thank you for letting me." Her stomach growled. "Well, I guess it's time for breakfast. Would you like chocolate chip pancakes?"

"That sounds great."

I went downstairs to cook for her while she headed to the bathroom to get ready.

I made up the batter and poured it on the griddle, making three pancakes. I sprinkled mini chocolate chips on them just like Danielle liked them. I flipped them over just as Emmett came into the kitchen. "So, did you get to second base yet?" I ignored him and placed the pancakes on a plate. "Did she rub her ass against your little friend again?"

I turned and was ready to tackle him when Esme called out, "Outside, boys." Emmett ran out, with me hot on his heels. I heard Edward run out after us, probably to make sure I didn't actually hurt Emmett. I tackled Emmett from behind, and pinned him down. He struggled, and I had some difficulty holding him down due to his strength, but I had years of fighting expertise. After struggling for a while, he finally stilled. "Listen Emmett. Danielle is my mate. Now, whether or not those feelings are returned is yet to be seen. Regardless, you treat her with the respect she deserves. Say whatever you want about me, but leave her out of it."

He looked thoughtful, and felt slightly ashamed, "I'm sorry Jazz; I didn't mean to disrespect. I'll leave her out of it." I noticed he didn't say anything about leaving me out of it, but I could deal with that.

Edward nodded, "We should head back." I got up and offered my hand to Emmett, which he took and stood up. He clasped my shoulder and we ran back to the house.

As we ran in, Danielle ran down the stairs. She was wearing tight flare jeans, a black tank top that laced up the sides and her trademark combat boots. "Hi."

"Hey Danielle!" exclaimed Emmett, with a wink.

She grinned back at him, "Do yall know where I could find my purchases from our trip?"

"We put them in Jasper's room," answered Edward.

"I'll help you get them," I said as we headed upstairs to his room.

I grabbed all her shopping bags and ran them into her room, and helped her put everything away. While we were hanging up her new clothes, I heard a loud trunk approach.

"Sweet! My boxes from Texas!" I smiled at her and we kept hanging up clothes. Esme answered the door and spoke briefly with the delivery man; he placed all the boxes in the living room and Emmett brought them up to Danielle's room as soon as the guy left. "Thanks Emmett."

"No problem Danielle. More stuff for Jasper to put away." I growled at Emmett, who just laughed.

Danielle grabbed one box and started digging around inside. "Well, since we finished putting away my clothes, would you like to see my life?" she asked as she held up two large photo albums.

I grinned at her, "I'd love to." We both laid down on her bed on our stomachs and flipped through the photo album. She explained who everyone was and what was happening in each photo. I was amazed.

"You seem awfully interested in this, Jasper."

"Yeah, I am. I mean, I don't remember hardly anything from my human life, much less my childhood, but you have all these memories and photographs to go with it. It's cool to see."

She smiled, "I hadn't thought of it that way. Do you think the rest of your family would like to see?"

"Yes!" came Emmett's voice from downstairs. We laughed and carried the photo albums downstairs.

Esme and Emmett were eagerly waiting on the sofa, while Edward was looking bored, but was actually curious, sat on a side chair. Danielle sat down on the couch, between Esme and Emmett, and I sat on the floor in front of her. She opened up the photo album and showed everyone the pictures, explaining again who everyone was and what was happening. We finished looking through the photo album with pictures pre-high school, when she realized she needed to eat lunch and meet Carlisle for her appointment. Esme made her a turkey sandwich, which she quickly ate, and then she drove Danielle up to the hospital, leaving my brothers and me alone.

Emmett turned on the TV and Edward headed over to the piano, so I went to up my room and put away my purchases from the shopping trip. I was about to go downstairs when my cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Jazz, it's been too long."

"Peter! Great to hear from you. How's Charlotte?" We talked for a while before he mentioned how happy I sounded. So I told him how I met Danielle and how our relationship was progressing.

"Congrats man! We'd love to meet her. We're on the East Coast now; do you think you two could come see us?"

"I don't see why not; we have 2 weeks before we head back to school. Let me talk it over with Danielle and I'll call you back, ok?"

"Sounds great." He gave me a number where I could reach him and we hung up.

I headed downstairs to see what Edward's opinion was of Danielle and me going on a trip. He thought it was a good idea and knew how close Peter and Charlotte were to me, so it made sense for me to introduce them to one another. Emmett was jealous; he wanted to go on vacation too. Edward and I reminded him how we'd be spending our Christmas break in Europe, and that seemed to appease him. "Sweet! Hot Euro babes!"

I went to the computer and looked up the weather reports for the East Coast. Peter said they could meet us anywhere. I thought Danielle would like to visit Washington, DC and check out the museums there. The subway also helped with any sunlight we might encounter. I went through all the information, making note of places to take Danielle and where we could stay. I thought a large hotel room with separate rooms would be the best situation for us. I would hunt before we left, but I could hunt in Virginia if I had to. It looked like the perfect place for us to go.

I heard the Suburban pull up the driveway, so I ran down to the garage to meet Danielle. She jumped out of the car and into my awaiting arms. She leaned up to kiss me and snuggled into my chest. "So," I said as our kiss ended, "would you like to go to Washington, DC this weekend?"


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N: **Thank you for being patient with me and for the kind reviews – I promise I'm writing more. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FORTYONE**

**(DPOV)**

Carlisle came in a few minutes later and smiled, "Hi Danielle, sorry to keep you waiting." "Oh it's no problem." "Now I know we've completed several tests concerning your abilities, and I'm analyzed your samples, but I haven't talked to you about some of your possible human characteristics. Danielle, I'm going to be blunt, have you started your menstrual cycle?"

I thought I was going to die. I knew Carlisle was a doctor and it was a reasonable question, but God, I did not want to have this conversation. I knew I was the color of a tomato too, and that didn't help any. Carlisle, on the other hand, just sat there, patiently, waiting for me to compose myself and answer his question. I took a deep breath and looked at the DaVinci sketches. "No," I quickly mumbled, knowing Carlisle could hear me.

He nodded, "I didn't think you had, nor do I think you will. It was a concern though, especially with your and Jasper's growing relationship." I nodded. "Since humans and vampires have a different number of chromosomes, you are most likely sterile."

"Like a mule."

Carlisle gave me a small smile, "That is one example." He stood up, "I would like to give you a physical, if that's okay."

"Sure. Like height, weight, blood pressure?"

He smiled, "Yes, like that."

We left his office and went to an examination room, where he handed me a gown, and waited outside while I changed. "I'm ready," I said softly and he knocked before coming in. Oh right, appearances. He recorded my weight and height then checked my vital signs. He tested my breathing and asked about any skin blemishes I might have. I shyly told him about the two birthmarks I had, one on the small of my back and one on the back of my neck, which was similar to a mark my mother had. He examined the marks, and mentioned how vampires didn't have moles or birthmarks after they were changed.

"I already ran tests on your blood, so I think we're finished, Danielle, unless you have any questions."

"I can't think of any."

"Fair enough, but let me know if you do. You can get dressed and Esme is waiting for you in the parking lot."

"Thank you Carlisle."

"You're welcome, Danielle," he said as he left. I quickly got dressed and headed to the parking lot.

Esme smiled at me when I got it the Suburban. "Everything okay?"

"I think so," I said with a shrug, "Carlisle will tell me if anything's wrong."

We headed back to the house, where Jasper was waiting for me in the garage. I jumped out of the car into his waiting arms. I leaned up to kiss him and snuggled into his chest. "So," he said as our kiss ended, "would you like to go to Washington, DC this weekend?"

"Yes!" I answered quickly, before what he said sunk it, "Wait, why?"

He laughed, "My two closest friends, Peter and Charlotte, are on the East Coast and would like to meet you. I thought DC would be a good place to go. We could see the sights and the museums." My face lit up, "Could we see the Hope diamond? Please? I've never seen it and I want to." "Of course. Let's go inside and make all the arrangements."

We sat down at the computer and booked first-class flights for us on Friday. We were flying from Port Angeles, to Seattle then direct to DC. "It's a 5 hour flight, Jasper. Can you handle that?" asked Edward from the couch.

"Yes, I'll be fine Edward. I'm going hunting tomorrow to prepare for our trip and I'll hunt before we fly back." He nodded and went back to his book. Jasper booked us a room at The Hay-Adams, even though I told him not to, because it cost too much. "But this is our first trip together and your first trip to DC, Danielle. I want everything to be perfect."

"It will be perfect because I'm with you, not because you spent," I looked at the computer screen, "$8,000 on a hotel room!" I exclaimed. "Holy shit, Jasper!"

I heard everyone in the house laugh at my outburst. Jasper gave me a quick kiss on my cheek. "Just let me do this, okay?" I nodded at him, and he gave me a big grin. "Okay, so we'll fly in Friday, but after the flight and time change, it'll basically leave us enough time to get you some dinner, hit a couple of sites and head to the hotel. We're staying 4 nights and fly back here on Tuesday. We should have plenty of time to go to the Smithsonian museums, plus see the monuments and visit with my friends. Sound good?"

I smiled at him, "It sounds great!"

"I'll call Peter tonight and let him know our plans then."

We headed into the kitchen where Jasper made me spaghetti with grilled chicken. I ate an apple while he cooked. "You're really good at this. Did you cook before?"

"No, I never did. It is fun though and you like to eat, so I cook for you," he said with a smile. He finished cooking, placed the plate in front of me at the bar and sat down next to me. "I forgot to ask you, how did your tests go?"

I blushed, "Fine. Carlisle just checked my vitals and stuff."

I knew he noticed my blush, but he didn't say anything about it, "Oh. So like a human check-up?"

I smiled, "Exactly."

We both heard Carlisle's Mercedes approach the house. "Hello everyone," said Carlisle as he came in the house.

"Hi Carlisle," I said and waved to him. He smiled back at me and ran upstairs. I finished eating and Jasper and I cleaned up the kitchen. "Did you guys look at the second photo album while I was gone?"

"No, we were waiting for you to get home."

We went into the living room where the rest of the family was waiting for us. I sat on the couch, with Esme and Carlisle to my right and Jasper to my left. Emmett stood behind the couch and Edward sat across from us. I opened up the second photo album and showed them all my high school photos. Esme liked all the photos of Kris and me together, "You two are really close, aren't you?"

"Yes we are. We both kind of knew his parents' marriage was falling apart, so we bonded together." I showed them pictures from football games (Hey – I'm from Texas!), my senior prom photo, when I went with my two best friends, Aurora and Nicole, and my graduation photos.

"You were valedictorian?"

"Yes, Carlisle. I couldn't really help it. I mean, I took the hardest classes I could, but you know…"

He smiled, "I understand. The boys all do well in school too." Emmett liked all the "hot chicks" in my pictures and liked it even more when we got to my college photos. "Who's that guy in some of the pictures?" asked Edward.

I glared at him, "That's William."

"Yes, but who is he?"

I sighed, "My ex-boyfriend."


	42. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FORTYTWO**

**(JPOV)**

"So," I said as our kiss ended, "would you like to go to Washington, DC this weekend?"

"Yes!" she quickly answered, before she realized what I said, "Wait, why?"

I laughed, "My two closest friends, Peter and Charlotte, are on the East Coast and would like to meet you. I thought DC would be a good place to go. We could see the sights and the museums."

Her face lit up, "Could we see the Hope diamond? Please? I've never seen it and I want to."

"Of course. Let's go inside and make all the arrangements."

We sat down at the computer and booked first-class flights for us on Friday. We were flying from Port Angeles, to Seattle then direct to DC. "It's a 5 hour flight, Jasper. Can you handle that?" asked Edward from the couch.

"Yes, I'll be fine Edward. I'm going hunting tomorrow to prepare for our trip and I'll hunt before we fly back." He nodded and went back to his book.

I booked us a room at The Hay-Adams, even though Danielle told me not to, because it cost too much. "But this is our first trip together and your first trip to DC, Danielle. I want everything to be perfect."

"It will be perfect because I'm with you, not because you spent," she looked at the computer screen, "$8,000 on a hotel room!" she exclaimed. "Holy shit, Jasper!"

Everyone in the house laughed and I gave her a quick kiss on her cheek. "Just let me do this, okay?" She nodded at me, and I gave her a big grin. "Okay, so we'll fly in Friday, but after the flight and time change, it'll basically leave us enough time to get you some dinner and head to the hotel. We're staying 4 nights and fly back here on Tuesday. We should have plenty of time to go to the Smithsonian museums, plus see the monuments and visit with my friends. Sound good?"

She smiled at me, "It sounds great!"

"I'll call Peter tonight and let him know our plans then."

We headed into the kitchen and I made her spaghetti with grilled chicken. She ate an apple while I cooked. "You're really good at this. Did you cook before?" she asked as she sat down at the bar.

"No, I never did. It is fun though and you like to eat, so I cook for you." I finished cooking, placed the plate in front of her and sat down next to her. "I forgot to ask you, how did your tests go?"

She blushed, "Fine. Carlisle just checked my vitals and stuff."

I noticed the blush, but didn't say anything about it, "Oh. So like a human check-up?"

She smiled, "Exactly."

We both heard Carlisle's Mercedes approach the house. "Hello everyone," said Carlisle as he came in the house

"Hi Carlisle," Danielle said and waved to him. He smiled back at back and ran upstairs. Danielle finished eating and we cleaned up the kitchen. "Did you guys look at the second photo album while I was gone?"

"No, we were waiting for you to get home." We went into the living room where the rest of the family was waiting for us. Danielle sat on the couch, with Esme and Carlisle to her right and I sat to her left. Emmett stood behind the couch and Edward sat across from us. Danielle opened up the second photo album and showed us all her high school photos.

Esme liked all the photos of Kris and Danielle together, "You two are really close, aren't you?"

"Yes we are. We both kind of knew his parents' marriage was falling apart, so we bonded together." She showed us pictures from football games, her senior prom photo, with her two best friends, Aurora and Nicole, and her graduation photos.

"You were valedictorian?"

"Yes, Carlisle. I couldn't really help it. I mean, I took the hardest classes I could, but you know…"

He smiled, "I understand. The boys all do well in school too."

Emmett liked all the "hot chicks" and liked it even more when we got to her college photos.

"Who's that guy in some of the pictures?" asked Edward.

She glared at him, "That's William."

"Yes, but who is he?"

She sighed, "My ex-boyfriend." I looked at her in surprise. "It wasn't real serious between us," she explained, "but everyone else in school was in a relationship, so I dated him to try to fit in. We only went out for two semesters before he dropped out of college." She looked at me, worried.

I placed my hand on her knee, "It's cool Danielle. That was years ago. Ancient history, right?"

She nodded and smiled at me, "Yeah." She turned the page in the album to pictures of her family; I could tell her aunt had been crying. "This is right before I left," she said softly.

Esme patted her leg, "We'll get you a camera and more photo albums, so you can document your life here. I'm sure your aunt and cousin would like to see that."

Danielle nodded, "Yeah, that would be nice."

The rest of my family left Danielle and I alone in the living room. "I'm sorry," she said, "I should have told you about William."

"It's fine, Danielle. Really. Stop worrying about it." I pulled her close to me and kissed the top of her head. "What would you like to do tonight? You still have a few hours before you usually go to sleep."

"I don't know. What would you like to do?"

Emmett came in the room carrying a Monopoly game. "I have an idea. I bet you a grand I can beat you, Jazz."

"You're on. Do you want to play, Danielle?"

"I don't have any money to bet."

We both shrugged. "How about you play and if you beat both of us, we'll each pay you $500?" asked Emmett.

"That sounds fair," I said.

"Um, okay, sure."

Emmett set the game up on the dining room table. "Ladies first," I said. We started playing and I was doing alright. I had the pink ones by jail with hotels, but Danielle had the orange ones with hotels right next to mine. I had two of the green ones, two yellow and one red. Danielle had both the utilities, two railroads and hotels on Baltic and Mediterranean, plus one of the red ones and one of the light blue ones. Emmett had the other two railroads and kept trying to trade with Danielle but she wouldn't. He also had Boardwalk, but no one owned Park Place, and he had one of the red ones, one of the green ones and the other two light blue ones. I wasn't getting very far in the game, because I kept landing on income tax and Emmett kept landing on Danielle's orange ones with the hotels. We played for a couple hours before Danielle started getting tired.

"Hey guys? Could you pause the game, so I can get some sleep?"

"Sure. We'll finish up tomorrow, after I hunt and we get all packed for our trip."

Her face lit up. "I can't wait!" she said as she headed upstairs to get ready for bed.


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N:** Thank you so much for the reviews and adding this story to your favorites!!! I appreciate you guys so much! *Spoiler* L-word ahead!!!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FORTYTHREE**

**(DPOV)**

"Who's that guy in some of the pictures?" asked Edward.

I glared at him, "That's William."

"Yes, but who is he?"

I sighed, "My ex-boyfriend." Jasper looked at me in surprise, so I quickly explained, "It wasn't real serious between us, but everyone else in school was in a relationship, so I dated him to try to fit in. We only went out for two semesters before he dropped out of college."

I looked at him, worried, but he just placed his hand on my knee, "It's cool Danielle. That was years ago. Ancient history, right?"

I nodded, "Yeah." He smiled at me. I turned the page in the album to pictures of my family. "This is right before I left," I said softly. Esme patted my leg, "We'll get you a camera and more photo albums, so you can document your life here. I'm sure your aunt and cousin would like to see that."

I nodded, "Yeah, that would be nice."

The rest of my family left Jasper and I alone in the living room. "I'm sorry," I said, "I should have told you about William."

"It's fine, Danielle. Really. Stop worrying about it." He pulled me close and kissed the top of my head. "What would you like to do tonight? You still have a few hours before you usually go to sleep."

"I don't know. What would you like to do?"

Emmett came in the room carrying a Monopoly game. "I have an idea. I bet you a grand I can beat you Jazz."

"You're on. Do you want to play, Danielle?"

"I don't have any money to bet."

They both shrugged. "How about you play and if you beat both of us, we'll each pay you $500?" asked Emmett.

"That sounds fair," Jasper said.

"Um, okay, sure."

Emmett set the game up on the dining room table. "Ladies first," Jasper said. We started playing and I quickly realized how competitive Jasper and Emmett were. Wow. And it didn't seem to be about the money either; more like it was a chance for one of them to be better than the other. I was holding my own though; I had both utilities, two railroads (which pissed Emmett off because I wouldn't trade with him) and hotels on Baltic and Mediterranean and the orange ones by Free Parking, plus one of the red ones and one of the light blue ones. Jasper had the pink ones by jail with hotels, plus two of the green ones, two yellow and one red. Emmett had Boardwalk, but no one owned Park Place, and he had one of the red ones, one of the green ones and the other two light blue ones. Jasper kept landing on Income Tax and Emmett kept landing on my orange ones. It was funny.

We played for a couple hours before I started getting tired. "Hey guys? Could you pause the game, so I can get some sleep?"

"Sure. We'll finish up tomorrow. After I hunt and we get all packed for our trip."

My face lit up. "I can't wait!" I said as I headed upstairs to get ready for bed.

I quickly got ready and climbed into bed, just as Jasper knocked on the door. "Come in," I answered.

He smiled at me, "Thank you for showing us your photo albums. We all enjoyed them."

"You're welcome; I'm glad you liked them."

He sat down on my bed next to me. "I just got off the phone with Peter and Charlotte and they're very excited about meeting you. I'm going to go hunting after you fall asleep. I'll try to be back before you wake up, okay?"

I nodded, "Okay. Be careful."

He just grinned and kissed me, "Always. Goodnight Danielle."

"Goodnight Jasper." He left and closed the door behind him.

I had a little bit of trouble falling asleep, because I kept thinking about what I needed to pack. Eventually I fell asleep though. But it wasn't peaceful. I had a horrible dream about two sets of red eyes chasing me and Jasper's voice yelling, "Run Danielle." I woke up with a start, covered in sweat. "Jasper?" I called out softly.

Esme came running into my room, "Are you okay Danielle?" she asked as she rushed towards me. I just stared at her wide-eyed and wiped the sweat of my forehead. She must've thought something, because Edward came in with a wet washcloth, which he handed to me.

"Thank you," I mumbled, as I wiped the sweat off my face.

"You're welcome. Would you like me to go find Jasper?"

"No, I'm fine. It was just a bad dream." He nodded and left my room.

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"I don't remember much of it, just there were two sets of red eyes and Jasper yelled at me to run."

Esme looked concerned, "No wonder you're upset." She gave me a hug.

"Have you met Peter and Charlotte before?" I asked her suddenly.

Her eyebrow raised in surprise, but she answered me, "Yes, of course. They are Jasper's oldest friends; the ones who convinced him to leave the South. They're both very nice and I'm sure they'll adore you. I know they've been worried about Jasper being alone too."

I nodded, "But they're not like you."

She shook her head, "No they're not. They do follow our lifestyle when they visit us here. They have learned how to control their thirst, so they usually stay in large cities and live off the homeless population. You don't need to be afraid of them, if that's what you're worried about."

"Right. Thanks Esme."

She looked at the clock, "Are you going to go back to sleep? It's still early."

I shuddered, "I don't think I'll fall asleep, but I will stay in bed for a while longer and rest.

"Alright, Danielle. Don't hesitate to call me if you need anything."

"Um, actually Esme," I said embarrassed, "could you hand me my teddy bear?"

he just smiled and handed it to me. "Is there a story to this bear?"

"Yes. It was the only thing my mom purchased when she was pregnant with me; it's my most prized possession. I feel closer to her when I have it near."

Esme's eyes glistened with unshed tears, "That's very sweet, Danielle." She kissed the top of my head, before she left my room, closing the door behind her.

I snuggled back under the covers, holding Teddy. I let my mind wonder back to our trip tomorrow and everything we would do and what I would need to pack. I knew the Cullens were very wealthy, but I didn't want to mooch off of them. I thought about my car, parked in the garage for the next couple years, and decided I would sell it, so I'd have some of my own money. By the time I was "16" I could get a job and buy a used car like everyone in my high school.

I got out of bed and headed to my computer. I was looking up how much my car was worth on Blue Book, when Jasper came rushing into my room. He scooped me up into his arms and held me tightly. "Are you okay, Danielle?"

I leaned my head on the crook of his neck and breathed in his wonderful scent. "Mmmhmmm. I just had a bad dream. You feel warm."

He chuckled, "I just hunted," he said as he sat down on my bed, still cradling me. I nuzzled the side of his neck and his breathing hitched. I heard the back door open and shut.

"What was that?"

Jasper shifted, "I think they left to give us some privacy."

I turned to look at him, "Why would they…" My question was interrupted as his perfect lips brushed against mine. I kissed him back, and shifted in his arms, so I was on his lap, facing him. My arms went around his neck, to pull him closer to me. He softly growled and slipped his tongue into my mouth. I thought I was going to die as his taste and smell flooded my senses. I moaned and he placed his left hand on the side of face, slowing down the kiss.

We parted and he rested his forehead to mine. "I love you Danielle."

My heartbeat speed up and my face flushed, "I love you too Jasper." His face broke out into a huge grin and he kissed me again.


	44. Chapter 44

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FORTYFOUR**

**(JPOV)**

We played for a couple hours before Danielle started getting tired. "Hey guys? Could you pause the game, so I can get some sleep?"

"Sure. We'll finish up tomorrow. After I hunt and we get all packed for our trip."

Her face lit up. "I can't wait!" she said as she headed upstairs to get ready for bed.

She quickly got ready and climbed into bed, just as I knocked on the door. "Come in," she answered.

"Thank you for showing us your photo albums. We all enjoyed them.

"You're welcome; I'm glad you liked them."

I sat down on the bed next to her. "I just got off the phone with Peter and Charlotte and they're very excited about meeting you. I'm going to go hunting after you fall asleep. I'll try to be back before you wake up, okay?"

She nodded, "Okay. Be careful."

I grinned and kissed her, "Always. Goodnight Danielle."

"Goodnight Jasper." I left and closed the door behind me.

I went in my room and waited until I could tell she was asleep, before I ran outside to hunt. I knew I needed more than deer, but I didn't want to be too far away from Danielle. I ran to Emmett's favorite hunting site and found a bear, which I quickly took down and drained. I knew I needed a little more blood, so I found an elk and drained it, after I drew some blood out into a blood bag for Danielle. I started running back to the house just as I got a text from Edward. "She's fine, but upset about a dream." I pushed myself and made it back in record time, running straight into Danielle's room without knocking. She was sitting infront of her computer, so I scooped her up into my arms and held her tightly. "Are you okay, Danielle?"

She leaned into me and put her head on the crook of my neck and smelled me. "Mmmhmmm. I just had a bad dream. You feel warm."

I chuckled, "I just hunted," I said as I sat down on the bed, still cradling her. She kept nuzzling the side of my neck, causing me to think inappropriate thoughts. The back door opened and shut.

"What was that?" she asked.

"I think they left to give us some privacy."

She looked me concerned, "Why would they…" I couldn't take it anymore and leaned to capture her lips in a kiss. She kissed me back, and shifted in my arms. I moved her, so she was on my lap, facing me. She put her arms around my neck and pulled me closer to her. Her scent was overwhelming me and she was so warm. I softly growled and slipped my tongue into her mouth. She tasted even better than she smelt. She moaned and I just about lost control. I quickly realized we needed to slow down before we went too far. I placed my left hand on the side of her face, slowing down the kiss. We parted and I rested my forehead against hers. "I love you Danielle."

Her heartbeat speed up and her face flushed, "I love you too Jasper." My face broke out into a huge grin and I kissed her again. Her stomach growled and she pulled back, embarrassed.

"Guess it's time for someone to eat. French toast?"

"Sounds good." We headed downstairs together.

The rest of my family came back into the house. Emmett smirked at us, but kept his mouth shut. "Are you feeling better, Danielle?" asked Esme.

"Yes I am, thank you," she smiled at her. "I'm very excited about our trip tomorrow. I was wondering if you would help me decide what to pack later?"

"Of course. Just let me know when you need my help."

I gave Danielle her breakfast, and got her to elk blood. She wrinkled her nose at the smell, but drank it anyways. "Did you want to talk to me about something?"

"Yeah, but let's wait until our trip, okay?"

She smiled and nodded, "Okay. Are we going to finish the Monopoly game?"

Emmett ran into the dining room, "Ready!" Danielle and I joined him, even though she was still in her pajamas.

We played for a couple hours before Danielle beat us. I beat Emmett, which was a good thing because otherwise he would have given me shit over it. We each paid her the $500 like we agreed and she headed upstairs and took a shower. "Man. She never would trade those railroads with me!"

"Why would she? You kept landing on them."

"True."

"I better go pack." I ran upstairs and quickly packed a bag for our trip. Esme and Danielle were going through and packing things in Danielle's room. I grabbed a book to read while they did their thing.

An hour later, the ladies emerged with a stuffed suitcase and a small carry-on. "I'm making Danielle lunch, Jasper, if you'd like to join us," said Esme as they went downstairs. She put a frozen pizza in the oven and we sat down at the bar and talked about what all we had planned for our trip. She was nervous about meeting Peter and Charlotte, but mostly because she was afraid they wouldn't like her.

"Why wouldn't they like you? I do, and that's all that matters."

"Well, yeah, but I'm not exactly like you."

Ohhh. She was worried they wouldn't approve of her since she was half-human. "Would it make you feel better if I called Peter and told him about you before we met, so they know what to expect?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Okay, I'll go call him right now." I headed up to my room and called Peter's number. It went to voicemail, "Hey Peter. It's Jasper. We're all ready to fly to DC tomorrow, but I just wanted to talk to you about some stuff before we got there. Call me back. Bye."

Danielle had finished eating and had apparently challenged Edward to play Battleship with her. Emmett was watching them set up, and looked up at me when I walked in. "I'm betting on Edward. $1,000."

"Two out of three?" Emmett and Edward nodded. "Deal. I'm betting on Danielle." Emmett and I sat so we couldn't see Danielle's board, so Edward couldn't see her board through our thoughts. Danielle lucked out and found Edward's 2hit ship right away and ended up winning the first game, because Edward couldn't find her 2hit ship. The second game though, Edward won, but not by much.

Carlisle came home to find the four of us in the dining room. "What's the score?"

"They're tied 1-1 now. This is the final round," Emmett answered.

He smiled and patted Edward's shoulder, "Glad you found some competition, son."

Edward smirked, "B-10."

"Miss."

"F-6."

"Hit."

"Come on Danielle!"

"B-8"

"Miss."

"F-7."

"Hit. You won, Danielle."


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N:** Thank you thank you thank for all the reviews and favorites! I'm so happy people enjoy my story!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FORTYFIVE**

**(DPOV)**

We parted and he rested his forehead to mine. "I love you Danielle." My heartbeat speed up and my face flushed, "I love you too Jasper." His face broke out into a huge grin and he kissed me again.

Suddenly, my stomach growled and I pulled back, embarrassed. Stupid stomach.

"Guess it's time for someone to eat. French toast?"

"Sounds good." We headed downstairs together.

The rest of my family came back into the house. "Are you feeling better, Danielle?" asked Esme.

"Yes I am, thank you," I smiled at her. "I'm very excited about our trip tomorrow. I was wondering if you would help me decide what to pack later?"

"Of course. Just let me know when you need my help."

Jasper cooked my breakfast, and gave me a cup full of elk blood. It smelt horrible, but I drank it anyways. Suddenly, I remembered he wanted to talk to me about us. "Did you want to talk to me about something?"

"Yeah, but let's wait until our trip, okay?"

"Okay. Are we going to finish the Monopoly game?"

Emmett ran into the dining room, "Ready!" We him, even though I was still in my pajamas.

We played for a couple hours before I beat them. Jasper was excited he beat Emmett though. They each paid me the $500 like we agreed and I headed upstairs and took a shower.

After I finished getting ready, Esme and I went though my clothes and packed a small suitcase and carry-on. She insisted I take a variety of clothes, including some nice dresses because, "you just never know." I wondered if she knew something about this trip that I didn't. When I looked at the clock, I couldn't believe the time. "Wow, it's already time for lunch," I said as we left my room, taking my luggage downstairs.

"I'm making Danielle lunch, Jasper, if you'd like to join us," said Esme. He followed us to the kitchen where Esme put a frozen pizza in the oven and we sat down at the bar and talked about what all we had planned for our trip. I explained I was nervous about meeting Peter and Charlotte, but mostly because I was afraid they wouldn't like me.

"Why wouldn't they like you? I do, and that's all that matters."

He wasn't understanding what I meant. "Well, yeah, but I'm not exactly like you."

A look of understanding flashed across his face. "Would it make you feel better if I called Peter and told him about you before we met, so they know what to expect?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Okay, I'll go call him right now." He headed up to his room while I finished eating my lunch. Edward was mopping around the kitchen, so I challenged Edward to play Battleship with me. Emmett was watching us set up as Jasper walked in. "I'm betting on Edward. $1,000."

"Two out of three?" Emmett and Edward nodded. "Deal. I'm betting on Danielle." Emmett and Jasper sat so they couldn't see my board, so Edward couldn't see my board through their thoughts. I totally lucked out and found Edward's 2hit ship right away and ended up winning the first game, because Edward couldn't find my 2hit ship. The second game though, Edward won, but not by much.

Carlisle came home to find the four of us in the dining room. "What's the score?"

"They're tied 1-1 now. This is the final round," Emmett answered.

He smiled and patted Edward's shoulder, "Glad you found some competition, son."

Edward smirked, "B-10."

"Miss."

"F-6."

"Hit."

"Come on Danielle!"

"B-8"

"Miss."

"F-7."

"Hit. You won, Danielle."

"Woo hoo!" Jasper said as he picked me and spun me around, "That's my girl!" I giggled and he sat me down.

"Thank you for playing me, Danielle," said Edward, "Those were very close games."

I leaned in and gave him a quick hug, clearly surprising him. He awkwardly hugged me back. "Thanks. And I bet you have plenty of chances to beat me in the future." He just smiled at me.

Emmett thought we should go outside and show me how to fight "like a vampire" so he and Jasper and I ran into the woods. They showed me some defensive positions and how to avoid getting hit, since I wasn't as strong as a vampire. We practiced for a couple hours before I got tired, so we headed back into the house.

I made myself a tuna sandwich and ate an apple while Jasper told Carlisle our plans for our trip. He was impressed with our planning and preperations and told us to have a good time; he knew once we started high school (again) we wouldn't be able to leave so easily.

After dinner, Jasper and I curled up on the couch and watched my favorite movie, Ever After. Emmett came in and saw what we were watching and quickly left. I could hear him complaining to Edward about us "taking over the house." I just snuggled up to Jasper and enjoyed the movie.

When it was over, Jasper put another of my favorites, 10 Things I Hate About You, in the DVD player. My eyes started drooping about halfway through though, so we stopped the movie. Jasper insisted on carrying me up to my room, where I quickly got ready for bed. He tucked me in and told me he was going to go hunt real quick and try again to get a hold of Peter. He reminded me our flight was leaving early, so I needed to get some rest.

I managed to stop thinking and fell asleep quickly. Before I knew it, Esme was knocking on my door and calling my name, "Danielle? You need to get up dear." I quickly took a shower and got dressed, then headed downstairs to grab some breakfast. Jasper had already loaded up the Mercedes and he, Esme and I headed to Port Angeles.

**A/N:** Chapter 46 is going to be very short, but it will contain an important announcement! Watch for it! :)


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N: **After much consideration, I have decided this will be the last chapter of Jasper's POV; the rest of the story will be from Danielle's POV. I *might* still sneak in some Jasper POV for certain things later in the story, but for now, it's all Danielle. I felt it was causing too much repetition in the story, and after reading the reviews, it seemed some of my readers agree. I appreciate any comments about this and anything else concerning the story. Thank you so much for reading, favoriting and reviewing my story!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FORTY SIX**

**(JPOV)**

"Hit. You won, Danielle."

"Woo hoo!" I said as I picked Danielle and spun her around, "That's my girl!" She giggled and I sat her down.

"Thank you for playing me, Danielle," said Edward, "Those were very close games."

She leaned in and gave him a quick hug, clearly surprising him. He awkwardly hugged her back. "Thanks. And I bet you have plenty of chances to beat me in the future." He just smiled at her.

Emmett thought we should go outside and show Danielle how to fight "like a vampire" so he and Danielle and I ran into the woods. We showed her some defensive positions and how to avoid getting hit, since she wasn't as strong as a vampire. She was a fast learner and was soon dodging Emmett like a pro. We practiced for a couple hours before Danielle got tired, so we headed back into the house.

I told Carlisle our plans for our trip, while Danielle ate dinner. He was impressed with our planning and preparations and told us to have a good time; he knew once we started high school (again) we wouldn't be able to leave so easily.

After dinner, Danielle wanted to watch a movie, so we curled up on the couch and watched her favorite movie, Ever After. Emmett came in and saw what we were watching and quickly left. I could hear him complaining to Edward about us "taking over the house." He'd get over it. I actually enjoyed the movie, as I hadn't seen it before, plus Danielle was snuggled up against me.

When it was over, we watched another of her favorites, 10 Things I Hate About You, in the DVD player. About halfway through though, Danielle started getting tired so we stopped the movie. I carried her up to her room, where she quickly got ready for bed. I tucked her in and told her I was going to go hunt real quick and try again to get a hold of Peter. I reminded her our flight was leaving early, so she needed to get some rest. She just smiled and kissed me.

I stopped in my room and grabbed my cell phone before I ran outside; I was surprised when Edward joined me. We ran for a while before finding a herd of deer. I only took down one, since I was still full from the day before. Edward and I sat down on a log. "I just wanted to tell you to have a good time on your trip; I think it'll be good for you and Danielle to get to know each other away from the family." I nodded.

We sat there enjoying the silence and each other's company when my cell rang. Edward took that as his cue to leave. I answered my cell, "Hey Peter. Did you get my message?" I quickly explained about Danielle and how she was nervous about meeting them. He assured me that he and Charlotte would be on their best behavior and were now even more curious to meet her. We talked for a while until the sun started coming up. "Hey - I gotta go Peter. I'll see you later."

I ran back to the house and helped Esme load up the Mercedes while Danielle got ready. She came outside, looking stunning as always and we all got into the car and headed to Port Angeles.


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N: **Hey look! A new chapter! It's short, but it's better than nothing, I suppose. I'm really busy this time of year, but I haven't forgotten about this story. Thank you for reading and reviewing!!!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FORTYSEVEN**

**(DPOV)**

We made it to DC without any trouble; the flights were on time and Jasper was fine among the humans. He said it was all because of me; that I brought out the human side of him, but I thought it was the faith I had in him to not hurt anyone. Either way, we landed in DC in the late evening where we were greeted by a chauffeur who took us by limo to our hotel. I had told Jasper not to spend so much money on me, but he insisted this was how the Cullens always traveled.

When we arrived at the hotel, my jaw dropped. While I slowly walked along with my mouth agape, Jasper went and checked us in. A bell-hop came took our bags to our room, just like in the movies. When he opened up the door to our room, I could hardly believe my eyes. I knew Jasper had spent a small fortune on our room, but I was still impressed by the luxury that surrounded me. Jasper graciously tipped the bell-hop as he left, leaving the two of us alone.

"So I take it you like the hotel?" he asked with a smile.

"Understatement! I love this hotel!" I exclaimed as I continued checking out the room.

"You should look out the window."

I looked at him, and then opened the curtain. "Oh cool!"

He grinned, "That's St. John's Church. It was built in 1816 and every president since then has attended at least one service there. There is even a pew reserved for the President. We could tour the church if you're interested."

"That'd be great Jasper," I said as I snuggled up to his side. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head.

"You must be hungry; what would you like to do for dinner tonight?"

"Well that depends, do we have any plans for tonight?"

He shook his head, "I didn't have anything planned, but we can do anything you want. I thought you might be tired after the trip."

We decided to order room service and stay in for the night so I could get some sleep, then start sight-seeing bright and early the next day.

After I ate dinner and we watched some TV, I started getting tired. I went to the bedroom and got ready for bed. Jasper knocked on the door, "Can I come in?" "Yes," I answered from the bathroom where I was putting my hair in a ponytail.

I went into the bedroom and found Jasper setting on the end of the bed. "I wanted to kiss you goodnight before you went to sleep."

I looked at him, confused, "You're not staying?"

"I'm not going anywhere," he said, also confused.

"Oh. Okay then," I said as I climbed into bed and patted the space next to me.

He hesitated, "I'm not sure that's a good idea, Danielle. I mean, I want to, but I'm not sure if it's proper. I mean…" he trailed off and took a deep, unnecessary breath before continuing, "I don't want to damage your reputation or virtue. And we're not promised…"

I smiled; I really was the luckiest girl in the world. He was just adorable tripping over his words. I decided to help him out. "Jasper. I know you were born in a much different time than I was, so I don't understand being promised, or courting or things like that. I have, however, learned that vampires mate for eternity, and while I'm only half-vampire, I feel like you are my other half." He just stood there, still as a statue. Oh no, did I say something wrong? Did he not feel the same way? I could hear my heart rate increase as I tried to keep from panicking. It seemed to bring him out of his stupor.

He looked at me intensely, "Do you really feel that way Danielle?" I nodded, not trusting my voice. His face broke out into a huge grin before he grabbed me and pulled me close. "I've waited so long for you Danielle. I love you and will love you for all eternity."

His words brought tears to my eyes and I softly cried on his shoulder while he held me. "I love you too, Jasper," I managed to say through the tears.

"How about you get some rest, Danielle. We have a lot planned for tomorrow and I know you don't want to miss any of it. We can talk more about this later, ok?"

I nodded and he tucked me into bed, and then climbed in besides me, holding me while I slept.


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N: **Wow! I have the best readers and reviewers! On the day I posted Chapter 47, I got 381 hits!!! Thank you all so much! Here's a new chapter for your enjoyment. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Season's Greetings!!!

**(**I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!)

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FORTYEIGHT**

**(DPOV)**

I woke up to the smell of French toast. As I opened my eyes and stretched, Jasper peeked his head in the bedroom. "I ordered breakfast for you. Hope you're hungry."

I quickly got out of bed and ate my breakfast. "Man this is great French toast and that bed is so comfortable! Thank you so much for choosing this hotel Jasper."

"It's my pleasure, Danielle. I'm glad you like it," he replied with a smile.

I finished my breakfast and quickly got ready for our day. As I dug through my suitcase, I found a brand new digital camera with a note attached. I opened the note, "Have a great time and take lots of pictures! Love, Esme." I took it into the living room to show Jasper. "Look what Esme snuck in my suitcase. Isn't that sweet?" He smiled, "Esme has a kind heart and she likes you. We'll make sure to take lots of pictures." I smiled and put the camera in my purse.

We took a limo to the National Gallery of Art, where we spent hours walking around, looking and taking pictures with my new camera. Jasper admitted to me that he didn't know much about art, so I explained the background of various art movements and certain pieces to him. I made sure we saw the Ginevra de' Benci by Leonardo da Vinci, which is the only da Vinci painting in the US. We also looked at sculptures by Degas and Rodin, including "The Thinker". We took turns posing in front of it and taking pictures.

After I ate a slice of pizza at the café, we headed to the East building, where the Modern and Contemporary art was kept. I was not surprised to learn that Jasper preferred the older art to the newer art, but he was still eager to learn about it and why I liked it so much. We saw a Calder sculpture, and paintings by Rothko, Matisse and Picasso, plus Lavender Mist by Pollock. We had a lengthy discussion about that one, including a debate about whether it was art or not.

After we made sure we had seen everything in the museum at least once, we went outside to where the limo was waiting, which took us back to our hotel. I was still impressed with the luxury.

"I talked to Peter this morning while you were sleeping," said Jasper, once we got to our room, "He and Charlotte are in DC. Would you like to meet them tonight? We could maybe just meet them tonight and perhaps hang out with them longer tomorrow, if you'd like?"

"Yes, I'd like that. I know I just showed up at your house, but I am shy around new people. I think that would be a great solution."

He smiled and kissed me, "Perfect. How about you order some dinner and I'll call Peter and let him know."

I knew I needed to eat, but my nervousness was irritating my stomach. I called in an order for a salad and a Coke and watched TV while Jasper spoke to Peter in the other room. "He said that'd be perfect," Jasper announced as he sat down on the sofa next to me, "They are both very excited to meet you. Apparently, they visit DC somewhat regularly and suggested we meet a local coffee shop." My eyebrow rose in surprise, "A coffee shop?" Jasper shrugged, "I doubt it's a Starbucks," he said with a grin.

There was a knock on the door, which Jasper answered, and quickly returned with my salad. "Shouldn't you eat more?" he asked, concerned. "Are you feeling alright?" "I'm fine, just nervous. It makes me not hungry." He looked at me, "I didn't know that. That explains some of the emotions I feel from humans though…" he trailed off lost in thought.

I quickly finished my salad and we headed downstairs to the awaiting limo. Jasper gave the driver directions and we snuggled in the back during the ride. I leaned my head on his shoulder and he twirled my hair around his fingers. All too soon, the driver announced we were there and opened the door for me.

As I stepped out of the limo, I wished I had changed clothes; the faded bellbottoms and Hello Kitty shirt were not going to fit in here. I sighed and Jasper turned to me, "What's wrong?" I looked down at my Vans, "I should've changed clothes. I mean, look at this place, I'm going to stick out like a sore thumb." Jasper looked at the storefront, "Well, we'll stick out together. My rugby shirt and jeans aren't going to blend in either. At least Peter still has his sense of humor," he said as he gestured to the black sign with blood red drips. "Any place called 'Twilight' has to be fun." He grinned at me and I sighed again, but took his offered hand and walked into the shop.


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N: **Another new chapter! Wow - I'm on a roll here ;) Please read and review! Also, I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts! Happy New Year!!!!!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FORTYNINE**

**(DPOV)**

The shop actually was a coffee shop; not a bar like I had assumed from the front. There was a definite alternative vibe going on; the lights were dim, everything was black and red and smoke filled the room. I was pleased to see the place was mostly empty; I thought there would be more people since it was a Saturday night. Jasper led me over to a couple who were seated at a secluded table in the corner. They both stood up as we approached.

Peter was about Jasper's height, but not as thin, with short dark hair; the kind where I couldn't really tell if it was black or dark brown. He had the standard blood red eyes, but his eyes looked kind, not like a killer. He was also covered in scars, like Jasper, but didn't move as human-like as the Cullens. Charlotte looked like his polar opposite; she was less than 5 feet tall and very petite, with white blonde hair. Her red eyes looked curious and alert, not dangerous. I immediately liked both of them, and could see why they were such good friends of Jasper's.

Jasper and Peter shared a manly embrace and Jasper hugged Charlotte, who placed a small peck on Jasper's cheek. Jasper introduced us to each other and I shook both Peter and Charlotte's hands. From my experience with other vampires, I could tell they were both fascinated with me and wanted to ask questions, but didn't want to overwhelm me.

We sat down and made small talk about our trip and Jasper asked about other vampires that they all knew. I asked Jasper to get me a drink, so he went to the bar, and Charlotte immediately pounced on me, "I can't take it anymore!" she exclaimed in a whisper, "What are you? How did you meet Jasper? How long have you been together?"

I gave her a small smile and quietly answered her, "Well, my mom was human and was impregnated by a vampire. A nomad, I assume. She died during my birth and I was raised by my aunt, her sister. I grew very quickly, maturing in about 8 years. Once I quit growing, my aunt sent me to high school as a freshman, and I graduated and went to college and got a degree, then went out on my own trying to find out more about vampires and see if there are any others like me." I took a drink of the orange cream soda that Jasper got me and smiled at him, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said and rested his hand on my knee.

"Did you find any others like you?" asked Peter.

I shook my head, "No I didn't. I found a few nomads and learned about the rules and things. I eventually heard of Carlisle and his family, which I was very interested in learning about. I went up to Alaska to find them, but they had just left. I met the Denali Coven and stayed with them for a while, before I headed to Forks and met Jasper's family."

"And it was love at first sight," said Jasper, "Carlisle brought her to the house and I was practically tripping over myself to meet her. Then I realized I had competition; Edward. Luckily though, she wasn't interested in him, nor he in her, so now, here we are." He brought my hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it.

"That's so romantic," gushed Charlotte.

"Congrats you two," said Peter. "I'm so glad you found each other. I've been worried about you being alone, Jasper. I mean, I know you have your family, but now you have a mate too. So thank you, Danielle. I know you'll take good care of him."

Jasper put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close, while I tried to hide a yawn. Charlotte looked at me in surprise, "Are you tired?"

I nodded, "A little. I have to sleep, but not as much as a human."

Peter and Charlotte both looked shocked. "Wow."

"So we better get you back to the hotel, Danielle. Would yall like to meet again tomorrow?"

We decided to meet at a club the next night, and I made sure to get fashion info from Charlotte so I would fit in better. We said our goodbyes and left the shop. As usual, the limo was waiting for us. I dozed off on the ride back to the hotel, my head on Jasper's shoulder.


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N: **Sexiness ahead! If you don't like it – don't read it. The rating is still T (for now)

**(**I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!)

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FIFTY**

**(DPOV)**

I woke up in the hotel bed with Jasper's arms wrapped around me. I smiled and snuggled my butt up against him, earning me a throaty moan. "Morning."

"Morning," he replied as he put his head to the crook of my neck and kissed me. I just about melted as his lips continued working their magic on my neck. I rolled over so I was facing him and captured his mouth with my own. He groaned and lifted my leg over his; I quickly wrapped my leg around him, pulling myself closer to him. I wound his hair around my fingers, while our tongues explored each other's mouths. He shifted us so I was on my back and he was on top of me. His right hand worked its way up from my waist, brushing the side of my breast. I arched my back at the sensation, which he mimicked on my other side. I couldn't help but moan at the contact. Unfortunately, the sound seemed to startle him and he quickly moved off the bed. I whimpered at the loss of contact.

He ran his fingers through his now tangled hair. "I'm so sorry about that Danielle. I got carried away. Again." I nodded and patted the bed next to me. He looked at me, then the bed, then me again before finally returning. "I think we need to talk."

That didn't sound good. "Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

He looked at a loss of words, "Um. This." He gestured between him and me.

I took his hand in mine, "Okay."

He swallowed and took an unnecessary breath. "I love you Danielle, and I have waited over a 100 years to find you and I can't imagine existing without you."

My face broke out into a huge grin and I kissed the tip of his nose; he was just too cute. He gave me a small smile and continued, "And while I would very much enjoy sharing our love physically, I think we should take this slowly. The era I was raised in was very different than yours. I know you and Esme talking about some things that happened in my past, but those girls were not the girls you took home to meet your parents. I guess what I'm saying is, I need for us to go slowly so I can get used to the idea of being intimate outside of marriage."

I'm pretty sure my heart skipped a beat when he said "marriage" and I had to take a deep breath myself. I think he mistook my silence, because he quickly grabbed my other hand, "I mean, I'll try to work through it if it's that important to you Danielle; I just have some old-fashioned values, but I'm willing to change for you. And I don't mean we have to wait until we're married, if you even want to marry me, I just need for us to move slowly, because…"

I interrupted his rambling, "Shhh. It's fine, Jasper. I love you and I'm fine with going slow. I've never been in a relationship like this, so everything's new to me."

He visually relaxed, "I love you too Danielle. So much. More than I ever thought was possible." He leaned over a kissed me; the kiss was full of love and promise. I sighed happily. He pulled away from me and grinned. "How about we get ready for our day? I'm pretty sure someone mentioned wanting to see the Hope Diamond."

"I do!" I exclaimed as I got out of bed and headed to the shower.


	51. Chapter 51

**A/N: **I'm still alive! I'm all recharged and writing, writing, writing! I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FIFTYONE**

**(DPOV)**

Half an hour later, we headed down to the limo which took us to the National Museum of Natural History. We spent the morning looking at the Hope Diamond, the Hall of Mammals and the Hall of Dinosaurs, which lead to a quiet debate about what a dinosaur would taste like.

"I don't think it would taste very good, Danielle. I mean, some scientists believe they were cold-blooded, which wouldn't be good. I visited Peter and Charlotte a couple decades ago down in Louisiana and wrestled an alligator for dinner one night."

I wrinkled my nose. "Ew."

"Exactly," said Jasper as we got into our awaiting limo, "It was disgusting. Even the carnivore edge doesn't help that blood any; I'd rather have a deer, and that's saying something."

We spent the afternoon at the National Air and Space Museum, before heading back to our hotel, where Jasper had a cheese pizza waiting for me for dinner.

"So what are you going to wear tonight Jasper? I'm not sure I brought anything quite right for the club tonight."

"Not a problem," came Jasper's voice from the bedroom, "I had that taken care of while we were sight seeing today. There are a couple garment bags in here for you to choose from."

He came out of the bedroom looking like a rockstar. A hott rockstar wearing tight black vinyl pants, and, "Wait. Is that guyliner?"

He just winked at me, while I tried to pull my eyes away from him. "You know, it's just not fair; it took you like 5 minutes to get ready and it'll take me at least an hour, even with vamp speed."

He shrugged, "I don't mind waiting for you; I'm sure it'll be worth the wait."

"Yeah, you say that now," I muttered as I headed to the bedroom and closed the door behind me. I opened the garment bags and was pleasantly surprised to find 3 different Lip Service outfits, each in my size. I let out a low whistle; Jasper had done a great job. I tried on each one, before deciding on a pair of skin-tight, lime green plaid bondage pants with a black vinyl corset. I found a shopping bag with a pair of knee-high vinyl platform boots and a matching chocker, bracelet and earring set. "Sweet."

I quickly pulled my hair back into a half-ponytail, with a few pieces hanging down, artfully arranged around my face. I did my makeup, putting on tons of black eyeliner and shadow and a touch of red tinted lip-gloss.

"Okay. I think I'm ready," I announced to Jasper, as I opened the door.

He just stood there, staring. I let him for a few seconds, until I started getting uncomfortable. _"If this keeps up, I doubt we'll be leaving the hotel room,"_ I thought to myself. I shifted my weight, nervously, which seemed to bring Jasper out of his stupor, "Wow. You look… wow, Danielle."

I blushed, "Thanks Jasper. Great job on picking out the clothes."

"Oh I didn't do that; I had a personal shopper get our outfits. I'm glad you like your."

"It's perfect."

The limo took us to an underground club, in an industrial part of the city. Emo kids and a few genuine Goths mulled around outside, smoking, while a pretty scary looking dude was at the door. Jasper went up to work his magic, but I stopped him, "I got this one." I pulled a twenty out of my cleavage and put it in the bouncer's hand, with a wink. He visibly swallowed and opened the door for us. "Welcome to Sanctuary." I heard a low growl from Jasper, so I slipped my hand in his, before dragging him inside.

The trance music was loud, but didn't hurt my hearing. Jasper and I worked our way through the crowd, avoiding the dancing bodies, before finding Peter and Charlotte camped out in an obviously VIP booth. I felt Peter's eyes check me out, which earned him a growl from Jasper. I rolled my eyes and sat next to Charlotte. "Great outfit, Danielle! Thos pants look like second skin."

"Thanks! I love your makeup; it's flawless." And it was; she looked great and very comfortable especially considering all the beating hearts that surrounded us. Peter looked great as well, but seemed on edge. He and Jasper were having a very quiet discussion. I spoke up, "What's wrong?" They both stopped and looked at me. "She is perceptive."

"I told you," Jasper said to Peter before turning back to me, "Peter's picked up a bad vibe. He's not sure if it involves you and me, but he was telling me about it."

I looked at him in surprise, "I didn't know you had ability, Peter."

"I don't. Not in the sense you're used to anyways. I just get hunches and sometimes know things. It's why Maria kept me around so long."

Jasper nodded, "I take what Peter says very seriously; he's never been wrong."

Charlotte nodded, "Do you need something to drink, Danielle?"

I knew she was trying to get me away from the table, but I decided to go with it, "Sure."

We headed to the bar to get my drink, watching the people move out of our ways like the parting of the Red Sea. I didn't see Charlotte as scary, but she did look bad-ass tonight; I guess the humans knew not to mess with her. We talked about how our trip was going and her and Peter's plans, until a song came on. "Oh! I love this song. Would you like to dance?"

I never really understood how to dance to this kind of music, but it was more rock than the other songs they had been playing, so I agreed. She led me out to the dance floor and we started dancing. "What are they saying? This is German, right?"

She nodded, "It's you hate. You hate me."

"Oh. Lovely."

She just laughed. I suddenly felt Jasper behind me. He put his hands on my hips and danced with me. I saw Charlotte turn around and dance with Peter. The song was over and I turned around the face Jasper when Depeche Mode's Enjoy the Silence came on. My face lit up, "I love this song!"

"I do too," answered Jasper as he pulled me closer. I grinned and we danced, pretty suggestively. He was making me hot and bothered and I could tell I was having a similar effect on him. The song finished and I looked up at him; he was staring at me with a look of awe on his face.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Hmmph. Right."

Suddenly, he pulled me close to him, Charlotte and Peter on either side of me.

"What is it?" I whispered.

He sniffed, so I did the same. A vampire. Uh oh.


	52. Chapter 52

**A/N: **I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FIFTYTWO**

**(DPOV)**

Suddenly, he pulled me close to him, Charlotte and Peter on either side of me.

"What is it?" I whispered.

He sniffed, so I did the same. A vampire. Uh oh.

I took a deeper breath, trying to ignore Jasper's amazing scent and focus. I could only smell one other vampire, so that was good. I didn't recognize the scent, I looked up at Jasper.

He shook his head, "No; I don't recognize it. Do you?"

Peter and Charlotte shook their heads. "I'm wondering why they haven't left yet; they have to be able to smell the three of us and know they're outnumbered."

They all looked pointedly at me. "I can't help the way I smell," I whispered back.

"I think we should leave before more come to check out what's going on."

"I think you're right, Jasper. We'll accompany you to the hotel. Incase you need us."

Charlotte patted my arm, comfortingly, "Hopefully you won't though. Let's go."

We walked out of the club, with Charlotte on my left and Jasper protectively on my right, and Peter trailing slightly behind us.

I was surprised the limo wasn't waiting for us when we exited the club. _"I have to ask Jasper about the magic limo when this is over," _I thought to myself.

We walked several blocks at fast human-pace, before Jasper leaned over to me, "There's two now, Danielle. I'm going to send you with Charlotte; she'll take you back to the hotel and wait with you until I get there. Peter and I will stay behind and take care of this. If anything happens, run. Get away. Get safe. Do not worry about us. Okay?"

I nodded, "I know you can take care of it, Jasper. Just be careful." I leaned up and kissed him.

He picked me up and sat me on Charlotte's back so she could run; I started to protest. "I know you can run, darlin', but I want you to save your strength incase you have to run on your own. Be careful."

"I love you."

"I love you too." He smiled at me before nodding to Charlotte.

Charlotte took off running, hiding behind buildings to avoid being seen by humans. "I don't smell them anymore, so we're going to go to the hotel. They won't risk being exposed with that many humans around."

I just nodded.

"They're going to be okay, Danielle. This is what Jasper and Peter were made to do. They'll be fine."

"I know. I'm still worried."

She laughed, a beautiful sound, "I know; I worry too. But neither of them has failed yet. I'm honestly not sure Jasper could fail. Have you seen him fight?"

"No I haven't."

"You should; then you'd know what I'm taking about. He is like power and speed and death rolled into one. It's quite a sight to see."

I thought about it a moment, "That sounds hot and dangerous."

Charlotte laughed, as she set me down, "Yes; I think that is how you would see it. We're going to have to walk from here; there are too many witnesses."

We quickly walked the few remaining blocks to the hotel, Charlotte tense besides me, looking for danger. Luckily, we made it to the hotel safely, and headed up to our room. "Nice digs."

"Isn't it gorgeous? Jasper picked a great place." My heart sank a little when I said his name. "Shouldn't they be here by now?"

"I'm sure they're eliminating all threats and making sure they don't get tracked here, Danielle."

I nodded, "I'm going to change clothes; please make yourself comfortable." I went into the bedroom and changed into more comfortable clothes and washed off my makeup, before returning to the living room. Charlotte was sitting on the couch, watching TV. I sat next to her.

I was woken up by Jasper's voice. "Danielle?" I jumped off the couch and hugged him, cringing at the smell.

"You smell bad."

He chuckled, "Yeah, I suppose I do." He kissed the top of my head. "I'll go take a shower. Do you want Charlotte to stay here with you?"

I shook my head, "No, I'll be fine. She needs to see Peter."

Jasper hugged her and kissed her cheek, "Thanks for taking care of my girl, Char. It was great to see you and Peter."

"No problem. Hopefully next time we meet up will be less adventurous."

Jasper headed to the bedroom, and I gave Charlotte a hug, "Thank you for staying with me. It was very nice to meet you and Peter."

"It was my pleasure, Danielle. I'm just so happy Jasper has found you. Take care of him; he's been through a lot."

I nodded and locked the door behind her when she left. Jasper came out of the bedroom, wearing a pair of low-slung jeans and drying his hair off with a towel. I looked at him and burst into tears.

"Whoa, Danielle, darlin', I'm here; it's okay. Please don't cry," he said as he wrapped his arms around me. I just put my head on his chest and cried more. "Shhh. It's okay, darlin'. Shhh." He picked me up and carried me to the bed. "Everything's fine Danielle; get some rest."


	53. Chapter 53

**A/N: **More sexiness – If you don't like it, skip it. Still rated T but I have a feeling that will change! I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FIFTYTHREE**

**(DPOV)**

I woke up with my head on Jasper's bare chest and his arms wrapped tightly around me. I shifted slightly so I could trace along his scars; he shivered in response, even though I knew he wasn't cold. He let me continue for a few moments before speaking, "Are you alright, darlin'?"

I smiled slightly; I decided I like this 'darlin' stuff. I nodded my head, but still didn't look at him. He sighed and traced circles on my back. "I know you were worried about me last night, but I told you I'd be fine, and I am."

I nodded again and whispered so quietly I wasn't sure he would hear me, "I was scared."

He quickly scooped me up onto his lap, "There's no reason for you to be scared; Peter and I handled it and I came back to you completely unharmed. But I do appreciate the concern." He kissed my forehead. "I just wanted you to be safe."

"I know. I just don't know what I'd do if something happened to you," I mumbled into his shoulder.

He gently lifted my chin and kissed me softly on the lips. I kissed him back harder, and he moaned into my mouth, licking my bottom lip. I eagerly opened my mouth to him and his taste filled my senses. I shifted my body so I was straddling his lap; I couldn't get close enough to him. We broke apart from the kiss, so I could catch my breath. "I was just so worried last night. I mean, I knew you'd be fine and Charlotte told me you'd be fine, but if anything bad had happened…" I trailed off as he kissed up my neck, finding a sensitive spot right below my ear. "Oh God."

I could feel him smile against my neck as he licked the spot, causing shivers to go down my spine. My right hand found its way to the back of his neck, tangling up in his hair, causing him to moan, "Oh Danielle." He captured my lips in a passionate kiss, making me melt against him. His hands moved under my shirt, touching my bare skin and I quickly realized where this could be leading. While my body was definitely ready, my mind wasn't. Jasper seemed to sense my hesitation pulled away to look at me. I started to apologize, "I'm," "Shhh," he interrupted me, "You have no reason to apologize. We have all of eternity together, Danielle."

I smiled at him, "Yes we do."

After we got ready, the magic limo took us to the National Zoo. We hadn't been able to go because of the weather, but it was overcast and was supposed to rain all day. Jasper had a backpack with ponchos, gloves and umbrellas, just incase he needed to hide his skin.

"So what's the deal with the magic limo?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

I grinned, "The magic limo; it just always seems to be there when we need it. But it wasn't there last night."

He laughed, "Ohh. I just page the limo driver from my phone when we're about to leave. You probably just haven't noticed my texting."

We stepped out of the limo and entered the zoo, heading straight for the Giant Panda exhibit. "Ohhh! They're so cute!" I exclaimed. Jasper just chuckled at me, "They're kind of goofy animals." I hit his arm, "No; they're adorable. And roll-polly." We watched them eat bamboo for about half an hour before Jasper pulled me away. We saw cheetahs and red pandas (so cute!) elephants, and several Great Cats and I took lots of pictures. I made Jasper go back to the Giant Panda exhibit with me before we left.

The magic limo then dropped us off at the National Mall, so we could see the monuments and memorials. We walked up the steps on the Lincoln Memorial and looked out over the Reflecting Pool. I was overtaken with emotion at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and Jasper couldn't get close to it because of all the emotions, but agreed it was beautiful. We went inside the Washington Monument and took the elevator to the top; the view was amazing.

"So I have a surprise," said Jasper as the limo took us back to the hotel, "I made dinner reservations for us at Marcel's; it's a highly recommended French Belgian restaurant. I thought you'd enjoy it."

"It sounds fancy. Wait, is that why Esme made me pack those fancy dresses?"

Jasper just smiled at me. "Well, I'd be honored to accompany you to dinner tonight, if you'd like, Danielle."

I smiled back, "I'd love to."


	54. Chapter 54

**A/N: **Fluff. I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FIFTYFOUR**

**(DPOV)**

I spent half an hour getting ready for our date; I curled my hair into soft ringlets, applied my makeup flawlessly and changed into a purple, one-shoulder formal dress that I had purchased on our Seattle trip, along with my new Ferragamo shoes.

Jasper was watching TV when I walked in, but quickly turned his attention to me. He looked like a movie star in a designer suit with purple tie. I smiled and he smiled back. "You look breath-taking, Danielle," he said as he twirled me around to see the whole package. "Love the shoes."

I grinned. "Nice tie."

"Thank you; I figured I'd coordinate with my stunning girlfriend."

We went downstairs, where a Porsche was waiting for us. I raised an eyebrow. "Gotta arrive in style, darlin'."

"So are you going to eat tonight, Jasper?"

He nodded, "Yes. Not my favorite thing to do, but I want you to have this experience, so I'll be fine."

I reached over and squeezed his knee as he shifted the car. "Thank you Jasper."

"My pleasure." He tossed the keys to the valet and helped me out of the car. "We have a reservation under Whitlock," he told the maître'd. The place was busy; especially considering it was a Monday night.

"Yes, of course. This way sir."

We were lead to a table, facing the kitchen. We sat side by side instead of across from each other. A server quickly made his way to us and introduced himself as Jonathan. After speaking with him, Jasper ordered each of us the seven course menu.

"Seven courses? I don't think I can eat all that, especially if I'm picking of your plate too," I whispered to Jasper.

He just smiled at me, "Don't worry about me; enjoy your dinner. I'm enjoying the scenery." He raised his eyebrows suggestively, making me giggle. Jonathan returned with our drinks and our first course, lamb tortellini. It was delicious. Our second course was fancy ham with eggs. The third course was tuna with risotto and the fourth was pheasant with mushrooms. Everything was delicious and I did pick off of Jasper's plate a bit. He was doing a great job of pretending to eat and it was nice to relax, especially after what had happened the night before.

The fifth course was bison with potatoes and turnips. I left the turnips. The sixth course was a "cheese course" and dessert was a chocolate banana mousse bar with chocolate sorbet. I ate mine and Jasper's, which didn't seem to surprise him.

"I can't believe I ate all that food! I mean, I know we've been here 3 hours, but still. I think I should feel bad about it or something."

"Don't. I wish I could have eaten it too; you seemed to really enjoy it. What was your favorite?"

I gave him a duh look, "Dessert."

He laughed, "Besides that."

"The pheasant. I'd never eaten it before; it was really good."

We thanked Jonathan for being such a great server and Jasper left him a handsome tip before we headed back to the Porsche. "Do you have a Porsche?"

"Not yet," he answered with a grin. "I only have my learner's permit."

We both laughed as we pulled up at the hotel. "I've had an amazing time with you Jasper. Thank you so much for bringing me here."

"You're welcome, darlin'. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

We headed up to our room and quickly packed. "Do you need to hunt before our flight tomorrow?"

Jasper shook his head, "I hunted last night after everything was finished; that's why it took me so long to get back to you. Why don't you try to get some sleep; we've got an early flight tomorrow."

"Alright." I quickly got ready for bed. "Will you stay with me?"

"Of course. Goodnight Danielle."

"Goodnight Jasper."


	55. Chapter 55

**A/N: **I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FIFTYFIVE**

**(DPOV)**

Our flight home was uneventful; I slept on Jasper's shoulder most of the time while he read magazines to pass the time. Esme picked us up at the airport in Port Angeles and drove us back to Forks, asking us all sorts of questions during the ride; she had obviously missed us.

"So that's what we did. Did anything happen while we were away?"

"No. It was pretty quiet with you two away; we've already gotten used to having you around Danielle, so it just wasn't the same without you."

Edward and Emmett met us at the car, each of them giving me a hug. "Hey! Glad you're back. Now we can start teaching you to fight!"

Edward took our suitcases inside then joined us in the backyard. Esme called from the kitchen, "Take it easy boys; I'm sure Danielle's tired from the trip."

I nodded, "Yeah, but I want to learn how to defend myself." I looked pointedly at Jasper, who nodded. "You do need to learn how; we'll show you."

The next two weeks flew by; I spent all my time learning how to dodge and fight. Esme joined us sometimes, since we were the most evenly matched. Jasper was a strict teacher, but I knew he just wanted me to be my best. We focused mostly on avoiding and blocking shots, since I wasn't strong enough to really attack.

"I know you're not as strong as us, but you have a distinct advantage, Danielle," Edward said to me one afternoon, while I was taking a break.

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"Your power. Or lack there of. When vampires have abilities, we tend to focus on them and not our actual fighting skills. Since you seem to be immune to those, you have an advantage against those vamps."

"Yeah!" exclaimed Emmett, "Like that evil little girl in Volturi. I know you could kick her ass."

"Who?"

Jasper quickly explained who Jane was and what she could do.

"Wow."

"Exactly. She's bad-ass, but you could take her!"

"Thanks for the faith, Emmett."

We headed inside, where Esme was making dinner for me.

"Are you ready to start school tomorrow, Danielle?"

I groaned, "No."

I heard the boys laugh upstairs. I sent an evil glare their way.

"I'm sure it'll be fine, dear. Have you and Jasper talked about how you're going to approach your relationship?"

Jasper came downstairs and answered for me, "We're just going to take it slow in public, Esme. We're going to make sure everyone realizes we're not actually related, and go from there. Humans usually avoid me, so it'll probably be Danielle that has to deal with it." He shot me an apologetic look.

"I'm just glad we're starting on the first day of school, not in the middle of the school year. That would suck."

I ate my dinner and heading up to my room to pick out my clothes for the first day of school. Someone knocked on my door. "Come in."

It was Esme, "Do you need some help picking an outfit?"

"How did you know?"

She smiled, "I heard you rummaging and sighing a lot. Let's take a look."

We decided on a pair of low-rise, faded, flared jeans, with a heather gray Incubus ringer and a lightweight, black, zip-up hoodie. "Perfect. Not too much, but enough. Oh! I better paint my nails." Esme laughed and we sat at the vanity in the bathroom and painted each other's nails. I painted Esme's a glittery peach, while she painted mine a bright cobalt blue.

"I'm so glad there's another woman in the house," she exclaimed as I painted another coat on her nails.

I grinned, "Yeah, I don't really see Emmett painting your nails for you."

We both laughed. "I'm glad you and Jasper had a good trip. I'm so exciting for you two."

"Thanks Esme. I better get some sleep before school tomorrow."

"Of course, dear. Thank you for the manicure," she smiled. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Esme."

I changed into my pjs and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Jasper joined me, watching me brush.

"Is something wrong?" I asked

He shook his head, "I just like watching you do human stuff; it's cute."

I spit out the toothpaste, "Okay. Are you going to stay with me?"

"I'll stay until you fall asleep, but then I'll go for a quick hunt before you wake up. Okay?"

We settled into my bed, and he gave me a kiss goodnight. I desperately wanted to pull him to me and really kiss him; we hadn't made out since we'd gotten back from our trip. I resisted, however, because I knew I needed to sleep.

"Goodnight Jasper."

"Goodnight Danielle."


	56. Chapter 56

**A/N: **First day of school! I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FIFTYSIX**

**(DPOV)**

As promised, Jasper was with me when my alarm went off. I quickly turned it off and gave Jasper a kiss. "I need to get ready."

I took a quick shower, got dressed and blow dried my hair, before heading downstairs. I ate a bowl of cereal and chugged a glass of deer blood, then headed back upstairs to brush my teeth and put on some mascara.

I headed back downstairs, muttering that we needed an escalator. Edward smirked at me. I grabbed my backpack, purse and lunch. "Okay; I'm ready."

Esme drove us in the Suburban. "Have a good day," she said as dropped us off

We all muttered replies. I took a look around the parking lot; the students were staring at us, like we were movie stars or something. I looked at Jasper. "It's always like this. First they stare, then they talk and a few brave ones will hit on Edward."

"Wow. Well I guess he does look like a GQ model."

Edward and Emmett walked in front of us to the office. There was a large, middle-aged woman working as the secretary. Edward waited for her to look up. She did, and her heart skipped a beat. Edward gave her a smile and it skipped again. She was going to have a heart attack.

He looked at her name plate, "Ms. Cope? I'm Edward Cullen; this is my brother Jasper, and my adopted brother Emmett and my adopted cousin Danielle. We're new students and need our schedules, please."

Ms. Cope just sat there for a moment, before shuffling through some papers on her desk. "Oh yes; Dr. Cullen's children, right? Here we go," she handed Edward our schedules.

"Thank you, Ms. Cope," said Edward as we exited to the hallway.

"Damn, dude! You just about gave her a heart attack!"

Edward just handed Emmett his schedule and gave Jasper and me ours. We quickly compared ours. We had Art together 3rd period and PE together 4th period. Jasper quickly kissed my forehead, "At least we have two classes together." I nodded, but I was still disappointed.

We made our way to our lockers, so I could put away my lunch. Emmett and Jasper were comparing their schedules; apparently we were all in PE together, and I'm sure Edward would get us into the same study hall.

The bell rang and the halls filled with students. Jasper stiffened besides me, and I rubbed his arm reassuringly. "You okay?"

He nodded, "It's actually more the emotions overwhelming me than the scent. That's new for me."

I smiled at him. I noticed the students were not walking anywhere near us, but still staring; it was a bit unnerving.

"Come on, Danielle. Don't want to be late on our first day," said Edward. I waved bye to Emmett and Jasper and walked with Edward to our first class: Earth Science. We picked an empty table near the back and sat down. The other students came in and that's when the whispering started. "Oh my God! He is sooo fine. I wonder if he's single." "Did you see the other one? He looks like a NFL linebacker." "Wow. She is hot!" "They look stuck-up, like they're too good for us." "I don't think so; they just look shy."

The last comment caught my attention. I turned to see a nice-looking girl, with brown hair and glasses looking at me. I gave her a small smile, which she returned. The teacher walked in; he was in his late 30's, brown hair, brown eyes, average built. He introduced himself as Coach Ray. I groaned to myself; this was going to be a long year.

Edward and I didn't have 2nd period together, but he walked me to the room anyways. "So why aren't you in Freshmen English with me?"

"I'm in Pre-AP English," he said with a smirk.

I shoved him, "Like it matters; I'm sure you could teach the class."

He nodded, "Probably. Have fun."

I walked in and saw an empty seat next to a short girl, with curly brown hair and blue eyes. She immediately started talking to me. "Hi! I'm Jessica! You must be Danielle; I heard you just moved here from Texas. What's the deal with that hot guy that just walked you to class? Is he single?"

I stared at her for a moment before answering, "Yes, I'm Danielle. How did you know that?"

She just bounced around in her seat, "I heard it from Lauren, whose brother Jared is best friends with David, who met you at the grocery store."

"Oh, right. Wow, word does get around her fast."

A baby-faced blonde boy, with pale blue eyes stopped by our desks, "Hey Jess. Are you gonna introduce me to your friend here?"

Jessica smiled at him, clearly crushing on him, "Oh sure. Mike, this is Danielle. Danielle, this is Mike."

"It's nice to meet you," I said politely.

He grinned back, "Yeah, you too."

The teacher came in, so Mike grabbed a seat next to Jessica. The teacher was tall and balding and named Mr. Mason. We did the usual syllabus, books, etc. I flipped through the outline and realized I had already read all the books. Bummer.

"So what class do you have now?" asked Jessica as she, Mike and I walked out of the classroom.

"She has art," answered Jasper from behind us. Mike jumped and Jessica squealed, while Jasper and I tried to hide our smiles.

"Yeah, I do. I'll talk to you later, Mike, Jessica," I said as I walked with Jasper to Art.

"Thank you. That girl can talk! She already knew who I was because of the grocery store guy." We sat together at a table near the window. "And she already has a thing for Edward."

"I'm sure he'll enjoy that. What's up with the guy?"

I swatted his arm. "No reason to be jealous, Jasper. His name's Mike and he's nice and too young for me."

Our teacher waited for everyone to get settled before introducing herself. She was only about 5 feet tall and very slender. She had a pixie cut and lots of beaded jewelry. "I'm Ms. Pace," she said in a soft voice, "And this is Introduction to Art. We will be studying basic art history and elements of design this semester."

"Aren't you going to be bored in here?" asked Jasper as we read over the class outline.

I shook my head, "Do you get bored in history, even though you know the material better than the teacher and have heard it over and over?"

He shook his head, "No."

"Same thing for me."

I was surprised when Ms. Pace approached our table, although Jasper was seated against the wall, and I was towards the aisle. "Is something wrong?" I asked her.

"No. Not at all," she looked at us strangely. Jasper gave her his best innocent look and I smiled at her. She shook her head and walked away. Jasper and I looked at each other, confused.

The bell rang and we headed to the gym for PE. Coach Clapp introduced himself; he was middle-aged and overweight, but seemed nice enough for a gym teacher. He explained how we would also have to do bookwork during PE, because of some new state law. We were all given our gym clothes and told to have a free day. Emmett, Jasper and I just sat in the bleachers and talked until the bell rang.

Fifth period was study hall with Mr. Mason again. Edward was already there, so I sat next to him. Since it was the first day, I didn't have anything to work on, so I just organized my papers in my folders and started doodling on some notebook paper.

"How's your day going?"

"It's alright, Danielle. Yours?"

"Fine. I met a girl named Jessica that seems to have quite a crush on you."

He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, I've picked up on her thoughts already."

We kept whispering until the bell rang. I headed to my locker and got my lunch box them the four of us headed to the cafeteria.


	57. Chapter 57

**A/N: **I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FIFTYSEVEN**

**(DPOV)**

I felt like I was living in a movie; the second we walked into the cafeteria it was silent. I glanced at Jasper and raised an eyebrow. He and I went to an empty table, far away from the rest of the students, while Edward and Emmett went to buy lunches. I sat down on the inside and he sat next to me on the outside. Then the whispering started again.

"This will stop, right?"

Jasper nodded and put his hand on top of mine. "Once they get used to us, it won't be like this. Do you want me to get you something to eat?"

"No, don't leave me alone. Hopefully your brothers got me a Sprite." I unpacked my lunch and started eating, even though I wasn't hungry.

Edward and Emmett came over with three trays of food and a Sprite. "Thanks," I said to Emmett as he sat down next to me.

"No problem. Nice to know at least some of this will get eaten."

Edward nodded as he sat next to Emmett. "I got you a brownie. I know you like dessert…"

"Sweet! Thanks," I took the brownie and sniffed it. It smelt edible, so I took a bite. "Good choice, Edward."

They all just pushed the food around, acting like they were eating. I picked what I wanted off their trays. Jasper had his left hand on my right knee and it was slowly driving me crazy.

The bell rang and they threw away their lunches. Emmett and I walked together to our Algebra II class. I was actually looking forward to the class; after art, math was my second favorite subject. We sat next to each other, near the back.

"I hate math," he muttered to me.

I looked at him in surprise, "You do? Why? Isn't it easy for you?"

"Well, yeah, it is, but I don't see a point to it. You learn it in high school, you do it again in college and then you never use it again."

"Until the next time you go to high school."

He grinned, "Well, yeah, there's that."

Mrs. Thomas passed out our books and outline for the course. We went over it and she explained about the kind of graphing calculator we'd have to purchase for the class. I noticed the nice-looking girl with the glasses was in the class. I smiled at her when she looked my way and she smiled back.

Eighth period was US History. I found a spot near the back and Edward came in, with an awe-struck Jessica close behind him. He saw me and sighed in relief, taking the spot next to me, against the wall. Jessica sat right behind him, probably so she could stare at him and sigh.

Then the girl with the glasses came in and sat behind me. I turned around, "Hi. I'm Danielle. I think we have a couple of classes together."

She nodded, "Yeah we do. I'm Angela."

I smiled at her, "Nice to meet you."

Mr. Newman walked in; he was a small, older man, but commanded a presence. He gave a brief history of himself; he was an Army brat who joined the Marines and fought in Vietnam. I immediately liked him; he was quite animated when he spoke and I knew I'd learn something from him. Edward just pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed every so often.

My last class of the day was a basic computer class, which was pretty funny because I'm sure every student in there knew more about computers than the teacher, Mrs. McDonald, did. She had us do some typing exercises to determine our typing speed, then let us play solitaire to learn how to control the mouse. Emmett sat next to me and kept playing Vegas style and was negative hundreds of dollars. Mike was also in the class, bugging me with questions, until Emmett looked at him.

"Is this guy bothering you, Danielle?"

Mike swallowed nervously.

"No, Mike's fine, Emmett. He's just talkative."

Emmett gave him a look, "Well, okay, if you say so."

Mike didn't talk to me the rest of the class.

Finally the bell rang and Emmett and I headed to my locker so I could get my stuff, then went out to the parking lot where Esme was waiting for us.

Jasper and I sat on the middle bench and I leaned my head on his shoulder. "I'm glad that's over. It'll be better tomorrow, right?"

He smoothed my hair, "Yes. They'll get used to us and avoid us. Although maybe not you. I overheard Jessica talking about you."

I groaned, "She's nice, but man can she talk!"

Emmett spoke up from the back, "I think she'd like to do more than talk to Eddie!"

Jasper and I grinned, while Edward ran his fingers through his hair in exasperation.

We spent the afternoon in the backyard, training. I was surprised that I was not only getting faster, but also stronger. My body was also becoming slightly more muscular. When Carlisle came home from the hospital, I went to see him in his office.

"Hmmm… you're right, Danielle; I do see some physical changes to your body. I'm inclined to believe these changes will become permanent, due to your venom, even if you don't continue the physical activity."

"That's fine; I certainly don't mind the strength."

"Danielle! Dinner's ready," came Jasper's voice from the kitchen.

I headed to the kitchen were a steak, baked potato and salad were waiting for me. "Thank you Jasper," I said as I gave him a kiss.

"Mmm, anytime, darlin'," he winked at me, causing me to giggle.

We watched Emmett play video games until it was time for me to go to bed.


	58. Chapter 58

**A/N: **I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FIFTYEIGHT**

**(DPOV)**

The next couple months flew by. The students had gotten used to us, and I occasionally ate lunch with Jessica, Angela, Mike and their friends.

"So," said Jessica excitedly, "I got permission from my parents to throw a co-ed Halloween Party this year at my place!"

The entire table was impressed, but I had to control the urge to roll my eyes. I was sure her little co-ed party wouldn't be anything compared to some of the parties I had been to in college. I forced myself to act interested; this was actually a big deal for a bunch of 14 year-olds.

"Yeah, so Danielle, you and the Cullens are invited, especially Edward," she stared at him dreamily.

"Okay, thanks Jessica. I'll have to get permission."

"Oh right. Yeah, so it's a costume party."

"I'll talk to Jared and David and see if they'll come. I bet they can get us some alcohol from their college friends," said Lauren. The boys looked impressed, but Angela looked worried and Jessica looked scared.

"I'm not sure…"

"What's wrong Jess? Scared your parents will find out?"

Ah, peer pressure at work. I glanced over at Jasper, who caught my eye and winked. I winked back and grinned.

"So what's up with you and the blonde guy?" asked Jessica.

"Jasper? Um, well," I looked over at the table where they were and saw Jasper barely nod his head, "We're kinda dating."

The whole table got quiet. "Aren't you related?" spat out Lauren, from the far side of the table.

"No, we're not." I sighed, "Let me explain."

So I told them my story, "…So Esme, Mrs. Cullen, is my aunt's cousin. Edward and Jasper are brothers, or maybe just half-brothers, I'm not sure. I've never really asked about their past; I mean I think they had difficult lives, so we don't talk about it. Emmett isn't related to any of us, but the three of them were all adopted by the Cullens, so they're pretty close."

Angela nodded, "You're all lucky to have found such a great family."

I smiled at her, "Yes, we are."

"But still. You and Jasper? Gross," muttered Lauren.

"It's not that weird. Yeah, we live in the same house, but we have our own rooms, and rules and stuff. It's been an adjustment for the family, but Carlisle and Esme are cool about it."

I saw Jasper give me a thumbs up from their table. Emmett was laughing like crazy and Edward didn't seem to be paying any attention to anything.

Luckily the bell rang and I was able to avoid more questioning.

* * *

Jasper and I were in the kitchen when Emmett came barreling down the stairs. "So, I hear we're invited to a Halloween Party, especially Edward," he said, imitating Jessica.

I laughed, "Yes, we all are, Emmett. But are we going to go?"

"I think you should," said Esme. "It'd be nice for all of you to be more social."

"But it's a costume party. And Jessica was having completely improper thoughts about me," complained Edward from his piano.

I briefly wondered if they were anything like the completely improper thoughts I was having about Jasper. I grinned.

"So since you confirmed our relationship today at lunch, will we be wearing coordinating costumes to this party?" asked Jasper.

"Well that depends; what do you have in mind?" I raised my eyebrow suggestively.

"Ooo, I like the sound of that," he said as he wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed me.

"Get a room you too! God Jazz, you're making me think Eddie's hot again."


	59. Chapter 59

**A/N: **I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER FIFTYNINE**

**(DPOV)**

The next couple weeks were all about the party; it was all the students talked about. Forks had a couple of rare sunny days, so we missed school Thursday and Friday. Since I wasn't there to talk to Jessica, she called me after school to ask my opinion on things (Yes, a bonfire would be cool), then Angela called and ask me if she should ask Mike to be her date, or wait for him to ask her (I'd wait. I mean, isn't this kind of a group thing anyways?) and then Jessica called me back to make sure Edward was coming (Yes, Jessica, I told you he'd be there, even if I have to drag him there myself), then Angela called to ask my opinion on costumes (That sounds great! I think I have some accessories to match that), then Jessica called me back to find out what Edward was wearing so she could match him (I don't know what he's wearing Jess; he won't tell me). It made my head hurt.

"I actually think I have a headache," I complained to Jasper as I threw myself on my bed, "I was a bit of a loner in high school and certainly wasn't popular; I had no idea there was this much drama in high school."

He laid down next to me, "Just be glad all you have to do is hear it; I have to feel it, too"

"Good point." I snuggled up next to him.

"So what are we going to dress up as? I heard you and Esme giggling and ordering things off the computer."

"Oh no; I'm not telling. It's a surprise. I picked out costumes for all four of us. Just trust me; you'll like it."

"Okay," he said as leaned down and kissed me. "So the rest of the family's gone hunting for the weekend. Whatever shall we do?"

I kissed him back. "I bet we can think of something," I breathed into his ear, as I kissed and licked my way down his neck, before sucking on his collarbone.

He quickly shifted, tearing his shirt off and rolling me onto my back. "God I've missed you Danielle."

"I've missed you too. Oh, and when you do that. Oh God." His mouth was on that spot right under my ear and his hands were under my shirt, on my back, pulling me to him.

I traced along his scars on his chest, placing kisses along his shoulder, before finding his lips again.

He lazily kissed me back, sucking on my bottom lip. "There's no need to rush, darlin'; we got the entire weekend."

I smiled back at him, "I like the sound of that."

We took our time kissing, touching and exploring, but didn't cross that invisible boundary we had set. I didn't mind at all; I loved kissing Jasper. I actually think kissing him was my new favorite hobby.

"Well, thank you. I think it might be my new favorite hobby too, darlin'."

I stared at him. "Um, I said that out loud?"

He nodded and grinned, while I blushed and threw a pillow at him.

My stomach growled and we headed to the kitchen. I put a pizza in the oven while Jasper picked out a movie to watch. We watched Roman Holiday while I ate.

"That was a great movie," I said, as we laid in bed before I went to sleep. "I haven't seen many classic movies."

"Really? They're much better than most of the movies they make now. We should watch some more this weekend since Emmett isn't here to complain about them."

"Deal."

We spent the entire weekend together, making out, talking, watching movies, dancing in the living room and cooking, so I could eat. Sunday afternoon Carlisle called to let us know they would be back in a few hours. We snuggled up on the couch and watched Casablanca while we waited for them to get back.

"I'm not complaining, but why didn't you go with them?"

"I didn't need to. My thirst is now closer to Edward's and Carlisle. I've been feeding at night while you're asleep, so I wasn't thirsty. Besides, I thought we needed some alone time."

"We most certainly did."

We were making out on the couch when Emmett stormed in. "Oh God, didn't you guys have enough time to do that while we were gone?" he whined as he sat on the other couch and changed the channel.

Jasper and I just looked at each other and rolled our eyes. I giggled, "Looks like you're picking up some of my more charming habits."


	60. Chapter 60

**A/N: This chapter contains underage drinking and drug use. **

I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER SIXTY**

**(DPOV)**

The costumes were delivered Monday and the party was Friday night at Jessica's house. She practically bounced me when I walked into our English class Friday.

"You're sure he's going to be there? I mean, really sure."

I had quit resisting the urge to roll my eyes days before. "Yes, I'm sure, Jess. He's got a costume and he will be there."

Mike spoke up, "So, are you and Jasper serious? Cause I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go to the movies with me Saturday night."

I stared at him, "Um, thanks, but no; we're quite serious."

Jessica's eyes opened wide, "Are you two, you know, doing it?" she squeaked out.

"What? No! Not that serious."

She looked at me suspiciously. I shook my head at her.

Mr. Mason cleared his throat and looked at us pointedly. We all smiled back sweetly and started working on our essays.

"Alright Danielle! I've been waiting to see these costumes so get down here!" came Emmett's impatient voice from the living room. Jasper and I left the kitchen and even Edward pulled himself away from his piano and that sad, sad song he was playing again.

I grinned at the boys, "Okay, so I wanted us to match, but I didn't want anything too fancy and I didn't want to dress like a slut, but still look cute, so here we go."

I pulled handed each of them a box with their costume and accessories in it. "Now go get ready; we have to be at Jess's by 8."

I headed to my room to get ready. "Dude! This is awesome," exclaimed Emmett "Great job Danielle!"

* * *

We borrowed the Suburban and headed to the party. Jessica had convinced her uncle to let her have the party on his land, which was outside of Forks city limits. Her best friend, Lauren, and her brother, Jared had convinced Jessica's parents that no adult supervision was necessary, since it was a small get-together of friends and Jared, David, Ryan and Kyle would all be there and everyone knows how responsible they are. Yeah, right.

We pulled up to see a raging bonfire and I could smell the marijuana from inside the car. I raised an eyebrow at Edward. He shook his head at me, "No effect on us, even though Emmett tried several times in the 60's and 70's. You on the other hand…" I grinned and he smirked back at me.

Emmett's voice came from the front seat, "Hello nurse! Did you see that little hottie in the nurse outfit? Damn!" He jumped out of the car and headed towards a detached garage where the girls were hanging out. The rest of us got out and followed him and were immediately attacked by Jessica, who was wearing a Tinkerbelle costume. She looked cute, but I knew she had to be freezing.

"Oh my gawd! Look at your outfits! What a great idea!"

Angela came over, dressed up like a female Harry Potter. "Wow! That's awesome. Great idea, Princess Leia." I smiled at her. "Han Solo." Jasper pulled the blaster off his belt and posed, earning him giggles from the girls. "Luke Skywalker." Edward just sighed; he wasn't happy about his outfit. "And Chewbacca!" Emmett made a Chewbacca roar and we all laughed.

The boys headed over to the bonfire and I went with the girls to the detached garage, trying to drag Jessica with me. "That's a cute outfit, Jess. The color looks great on you."

"Thanks," she said as she wondered off towards Edward. I sighed.

"She really doesn't have a chance, does she?" asked Angela.

I shook my head, sadly, "No, she doesn't. But you look great! Awesome idea for a costume."

"Thanks." We got some punch and hung around the space heaters that had been set up, when I heard some heavy footprints coming towards us. "

Hey there Danielle, I mean, Princess Leia," said David, as he and his friends undressed me with their eyes. "Damn, that's one hot outfit," muttered Kyle. I nodded at them, "Hi guys. Nice outfits." I lied; they were horrible costumes; David was dressed up as a priest, Jared was wearing a t-shirt with a tuxedo printed on it, Kyle was wearing his basketball jersey and Ryan had on a t-shirt that said, "This is my Halloween costume."

They crowded around Angela and I. "So are you girls having a good time?" asked Jared. Angela just nodded; apparently shocked these guys were talking to her. Oh right, they're seniors; they probably hadn't even acknowledged her presence before. "Yeah, it's cool to see everyone's costume, you know," I answered.

"Yeah, we like yours," smirked Kyle.

Jared pulled out a joint out of his pocket, lit it and took a hit off of it before passing it to David. He took a hit then passed it to me. "No thanks," I said, as I passed it to Angela, "I don't smoke." She followed my lead and passed it to Ryan, who shrugged and took a hit. "Oh well; just means more for us!"

I gave him a slight smile before I turned to Angela, "We should try to save Edward from Jess, don't you think?"

"Good idea." We headed to the bonfire, with the guys trailing behind us, trying to keep us interested in them.

Jessica was following Edward around like a puppy and he looked up at us appreciatively when we approached. "Hey Jess? The punch is almost gone; do you have anymore?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'll get some real quick. I'll be right back Edward," she said looking at him longingly.

Jasper snuck up behind me and slipped an arm around my waist. I tensed for a second before I realized it was him and turned around for a kiss, which he gladly gave me. "So who are your friends, darlin'?" he asked as he looked around the group.

I grinned and gestured to each of them, "This is David, Jared, Ryan and Kyle. This is my boyfriend, Jasper."

They all looked nervous and mumbled excuses, "We better go see if Jess needs any help with the punch. Bye Danielle."

We spent the rest of the night talking with Angela by the bonfire and watching Emmett dance with the "hottie" in the nurse outfit.


	61. Chapter 61

**A/N: **I'm not posting regularly right now, so please sign up for story alerts!

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**CHAPTER SIXTYONE**

**(DPOV)**

Jasper and Emmett were playing some gory videogame when Esme came into the living room. "Danielle? There's a phone call for you."

The boys stopped and looked at me and even Edward looked up from his piano.

"Oh. Okay. Hello?"

It was Kris. I immediately thought the worst. "Oh no! What's wrong?"

"Calm down, Elle. I was just wondering you were going to go visit Mom sometime? The divorce was finalized and I'm not going to be there for Thanksgiving cause of the custody agreement. I think she's lonely. I mean, you know."

We talked for a while before hanging up.

"Jasper?" I nodded towards the door. He nodded, grabbed my hand and we headed out into the forest.

* * *

Three weeks later, the two of us were on a plane, heading to Texas. "Thank you for coming with me. And I apologize in advance for my aunt's behavior."

Jasper just grinned at me and kissed the top of my hand that was intertwined with his. "No problem, darlin'. I'm curious to meet the lady who raised you. And besides, we're going back home for me too."

With the long flight and the time change, we landed at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport after sundown. We got our rental car and started the drive east to my aunt's house.

"So there isn't going to be any problems with you going back, right?"

I shook my head, "Aunt Linda moved when I was in college, so my lack of aging won't be so noticeable. The neighbors only saw me when I'd come home to visit during school breaks, so I'm not worried."

"Ok, good. Just making sure."

We pulled up to the house around 10pm, after hitting a drive-thru to get me some dinner. Jasper pulled the car into the driveway and waited for me to collect myself. He grabbed my hand and smilled at me. I couldn't help but smile back at him. "Okay. I guess I'm ready."

We got out of the car and headed to the front door, which was immediately opened, revealing my aunt. She was a large, happy lady, and lit up like a Christmas tree when she saw me. And then she turned to Jasper. He smiled at her and offered his hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Kelley. I'm Jasper Whitlock. Thank you for allowing me to stay in your home."

My aunt just about melted on the spot. I rolled my eyes at Jasper while she recovered, "Oh my, well, yes, of course, you're very welcome Jasper. Please call me Linda." She invited us into the house. Jasper got our luggage out of the car and I showed him where to put it; he was staying in Kris's room and I was staying in my old room.

Aunt Linda was waiting for us in the kitchen. "It's great to see you Aunt Linda and I can't wait to catch up with you, but we've had a long trip today and need to rest. See you in the morning, okay?" I said as I drug Jasper back up the stairs to our rooms.

We stopped in front of my bedroom door and he gave me a kiss goodnight. "Are you going hunting tonight?" I whispered.

"No, I'm fine; I'll go in a couple days though."

"Then will you be sneaking into my room after Linda goes to sleep?"

He gave me his make-me-weak-in-the-knees smile, "You bet I will, darlin'."


End file.
